It all started with the fat guy
by Strife21
Summary: A F/S fic! Takes place after "Pierrot Le Fou" then the story from then will be alternated. Contains: Drama/Romance/Angst/Action/Humor ..yeah it's all gewd ^.^ *Chapter 14: Blues of the Sinned: Beginning of the End*
1. Reasons

[Takes place after the episode: "Pierre Le Fou". And of course.. it's a FAYExSPIKE fic! Wah-hahahahahahahahhahaaaaaa! ^_^ enjoy!]  
  
Chapter one: Reasons  
  
  
Spike stood still and held his bullet wounded shoulder.  
  
"I hate theme parks." he grumbled. His eyes were focused to the brightly colored lights displayed before him. The previous events came back to his mind and he shuddered it away. Though there was a small something that was nagging him to remember in the back of his head.  
  
He furrowed his eyebrows and looked around him. He decided to retrace the events as he scanned the different areas. He replayed all the hell he experienced that evening and a picture of a ship came to mind.   
  
[Faye.]  
  
He groaned loudly, "Where the hell is that woman at?"  
  
"Over here you idiot." came a voice behind him.  
  
Spike turned around to meet the woman herself, he smirked at her.  
  
Just as it looked like Faye was about to start shouting him, her face changed dramatically as soon as she spotted the large, red, blood spot on his left shoulder. "Oh my god, you're hurt!" she said, her tone a bit frantic.  
  
Spike shrugged; forgetting he had to shrug with his shoulders, he winced in pain. He reached in his front pockets and pulled out a cigarette, "It isn't so bad." He placed the cigarette to his lips and found them to be wet; he pouted.  
  
Faye wrinkled her nose and raised a brow, "'It isn't so bad.'"she mocked. She gave a loud sigh and grabbed hold of Spike's right arm, "Come on, cowboy. We got to get that wound cleaned." As she was about to move towards the large lake that was actually part of the amusement park, she was stopped by a very suspicious Spike. She looked up at him, "What?"  
  
"What are you doing?" he mumbled through the wet cigarette hanging at the corner of his mouth.  
  
"Trying to help." Faye explained and forcefully pulled him towards the lake.  
  
Spike grunted but decided to abide. He followed behind her as she lead the way towards a small bay area of the lake.  
  
Stopping in front of their destination, Faye looked around for a piece of cloth; all the while she requested Spike to removed his green jacket, as well as his shirt underneath it.  
  
Still grumbling and not really caring for help, Spike went along with her with an odd look in his face. He stared at her as she looked around for cloth and wondered what the heck was going on in her mind; whether or not this was an affect of her crash a few minutes ago.  
  
"Damn." Faye cursed and turned back to where Spike was now sitting. She moved beside him and sat on her knees.   
  
Spike handed her his shirt and jacket, "Here." he simply said.   
  
Faye took the clothes and looked at them. She cocked her head to the side, "Do you have extra's of these, or are these your only pair?" she asked Spike.  
  
Spike nodded his head, "Only pair and you can't find them anywhere these days." He knew she was thinking of using his shirt as dressings and a wash cloth for his wound, but he knew better.   
  
Faye sighed and set his clothes aside behind him. Un-knotting her red jacket and taking it off, she dumped it into the shallow cold water.  
  
Watching with surprised and confused eyes, Spike wondered if Faye was seriously injured in the head. Her actions and re-actions after her crash were seemingly peculiar and it was giving him a slight scare.   
  
"You owe me new clothes." she said softly and pulled out the red jacket and squeezed them until they were not so soaked. Without making eye contact to the confused Spike, Faye carefully started to wipe away the blood around the bullet hole of his shoulder.  
  
Silence crept the two as she continued to tend the wound.  
  
After sweeping most of the blood that oozed out, Faye dumped the red jacket back into the water and rinsed all the blood off.  
  
"So where's that guy? Did you get rid of him or did he run away or what?" Faye asked, a little attitude in her voice. Picking up her jacket and drying it again, she looked at him for the answer. All she received was a quiet glance back at her.   
  
All the while, Spike thought to himself why he hasn't noticed the beautiful features of the woman in front of him. He kicked himself mentally for thinking of her as actual beauty, but he couldn't help to think about it while she was cleaning his shoulder. Her touch was soft and welcoming, and the way she fluidly moved the cloth carefully seemed to leave an impression in him.  
  
"Spike? Are you okay?"  
  
A gentle call shook him out of his inspection, "Huh, what?" He looked to see a slightly flushed Faye in front of him.  
  
"I-I was asking you a question and you sat there like you weren't even listening." she spoke at him, trying to brush off the look he gave her. It gave her millions of reasons why he would do that and all were racking her mind.   
  
Spike grinned and chuckled, "Oh.. sorry about that, now what were you asking?"  
  
"That crazy fat guy with a weird hat? What happened to him?" she tried again, her blush brightening at his cocky smile.  
  
"He's all over the parade floor." he blankly answered as he turned his gaze to the lake.  
  
Faye waited for the next part of it, but when it didn't come her eyebrow twitched slightly, ".. and..?"  
  
"And he's dead, duh." Spike sighed. He reached for the limp cigarette in his mouth and threw it into the lake, "That guy is one crazy bastard."  
  
Nodding, Faye looked at the jacket in her hand. She looked at it with eyes of sadness.   
  
Spike noticed this and turned back to her with worried eyes, "What's wrong?"  
  
Giving another reluctant sigh, Faye closed her eyes and reached for a small pocket knife adjusted inside her shoes. "Nothing." she answered as she slashed a large cut near the cuff of her sleeves. She placed both hands near the starting of the rip, opposite from each other, and pulled them apart.   
  
Spike eyed her silently, not sure what to say about all this.  
  
Faye continued to slash and pull until her jacket was now just three long strips and a large square piece of red cloth.  
  
A little breathless at what she did, Spike finally spoke, "Look Faye, you didn't have to do that."  
  
"Too late." her shoulders dropped as she looked at her screwed-up jacket. Standing on her knees, she moved in closer to him and held up the first piece of cloth, "Come on, let me wrap it up. I can't do anything right now but help stop the bleeding so.. arms up."  
  
"Faye, why are you doing this anyways?" Spike felt his voice almost yelling at her. He didn't know why but maybe it was the curiosity building up inside him.  
  
Startled, Faye backed away a bit, "I'm trying to help! So stop being such an ass about it!" she raised her voice as well.  
  
Holding onto his wounded shoulder, Spike supported himself up to his knees in front of her, "Then why the hell are you? Why are you ripping up your jacket just to help me?"  
  
"Because I haven't done shit to help anybody since I stayed with all of you!" feeling herself about to choke in tears, Faye stood up and stepped back more. Although she didn't want to go any further with her point of view, her mouth continued to run.  
  
"I haven't done shit!" her voice a little faulty, but her face determined to explain, "Ever since you joked about 'rescuing you' tonight as if this was your final battle, it made me think. You and Jet and even Ed, rescued me couple of times before." Faye's voice began to descend to almost whispers, "And when I counted all of my attempted rescues... there wasn't really anything to count."  
  
Feeling a heavy shame and guilt fall on him, Spike stood up. He felt a big lump of regret in his throat.  
  
Faye looked at him with a cross look, "Now that I decided to change that, you're pushing me off. What the hell do you want from me?!"  
  
Standing there, Spike looked at her; watching her eyes shimmer, desperately wanting to shed tears. [What am I doing to her? How could I be so stupid?] he thought on his own.  
  
Faye couldn't stand his eyes. She felt a weird sensation everytime she looked at them. She turned her head away from his gaze, "Don't do that.." she said softly.  
  
"Do what?"   
  
"You know how some people say that sometimes.. you could see a person's soul through their eyes?" Faye tightened the cloth in her hand, "I don't want you to see mine... so stop it."  
  
Spike reached out for her shoulder, "Listen Faye.. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to shout at you." He was hoping that this was enough to end all this, but her response wasn't quite what he thought. Faye brushed off his hand even before he could touch her shoulder. She placed the pieces of cloth in his hands and slowly sat down in front of the lake.  
  
"I called Jet earlier... tell me when he gets here." Faye said in mono tone. Curling her knees to her chest and hugging them towards her, she kept her gaze at the lake.  
  
Spike just stood there, still mentally kicking himself where it hurts. [Spike.. you've got to be the biggest asshole in this planet!] Sighing, he sat down next to her and started wrapping his shoulder his-self.  
  
It was quiet between the two and it felt like years passed by already.  
  
After finishing the 'not quite right' wrapping he gave his shoulder, Spike turned his head a bit to look at the woman beside him.   
  
[She's asleep?] Her eyes were closed and she didn't move an inch.  
  
Before he knew it, he found himself staring at her again. He watched how her hair moved with the light breeze and how her soft breathing moved her shoulders up and down lightly.  
  
"Knock it off." Faye mumbled. She peeked out of one of her eyes and raised a brow.  
  
Spike quickly cocked his head somewhere else, "I was just wondering if you fell asleep, that's all." After a few seconds, he slowly moved his eyes back at her only to find her eyeing him.  
  
"Are you really sorry, Spike?" Faye murmured; her brow still up.  
  
Hunching down on his shoulders, Spike looked at her, "Yeah, I was just a little frustrated with the way you acted. Sorry."  
  
"Hmm." Faye extended her arms aboved her to stretch and rested them beside her. She unfolded her legs and also stretched them out in front of her, "I'm sorry too. I blew up in your face. How very.. un-womanly thing for me to do."  
  
"Hey, you're a frisky woman." Spike leaned back on his elbows and let out a sigh, "I like frisky women."  
  
Faye looked at him in surprise, [He did not just say that?!] Her face began to flush red.  
  
Spike eyed her with a grin, "Are you blushing? My, my, 'the' Faye Valentine actually feels flattery!" he started to jolt with laughter.  
  
Normally, Faye would strike out like an irate tom cat, but she noticed a certain humor and sarcasm in Spike's tone. She smiled at him, "Well, speaking of surprising changes... you're quite playful tonight. The evening when you might have been killed." She looked up to the midnight sky above them; she seemed to have spotted something but didn't bother telling Spike about it, instead she continued her talking, "I wonder if you've gone insane."  
  
Stopping, he thought about what she had said; [Maybe I have.. but with good reason.] He smiled at her. After a few seconds, and noticing that Faye was attracted to something in the sky, Spike followed her gaze and also looked up. His eyes spotted something large with a blinking light. [Looks like Jet's here]  
  
Faye stood up slowly, "Well, Jet's here." She jerked her thumb towards the crash site of her ship, "Listen, tell Jet my ship's busted. I'll be over there waiting."  
  
She started walking; her hands up behind her head. She stopped when she heard Spike's voice call out her name. She tilted her head to the side slightly.  
  
Spike stood there, his hands in his pockets, "I just wanted to say thanks.. you know, for this." he pointed to the mis-shapen cloth around his left shoulder.  
  
Faye smiled and shook her head, "Whatever cowboy, but you're taking me shopping for a new one."  
  
"What if I just pick a whole wardrobe for you while I'm at it?" Spike offered.   
  
Not sure why he would make such an offer, Faye decided to take it; under one condition, ".. I don't want something that's gonna make me look stupid."  
  
Spike shrugged, "Fine. We'll go tomorrow then. But remember I get to choose." He watched as she nodded to him then continued walking away.  
  
Bright lights hovered above him; Spike looked up to Jet and waved. He watched as the ship moved around the area trying to find a place to land.  
  
His mind drifted and he had thoughts about tomorrow; [Tomorrow.. I'm shopping with the shrew woman..] He couldn't help but smile.  
  
  
A/N- Now that you've read.. and if you're not bored or too lazy or think that this is the stupidest thing ever.. please review then I shall grant everyone the next chapter ^_^. Ebak Badoooo everibodi! `'O.O`'` - Spike ||o.O~|| - Faye YAYZ!! 


	2. Shopping Buddy

A/N: As you might have heard.. this got kicked off!!! FFnet deleted it jus' cause I forgot to put PG13 as the rating! ARGH! Now all those reviews... gone.. gone! I hate it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! .. anyways.. here's chapter two (again)  
  
Chapter two: Shopping buddy  
  
Sitting at on the deck of the ship, Spike held his cigarette in between his lips as he waited. He dressed himself in his usual clothes; a yellow t-shirt with a navy blue jacket over it (with it's hole stitched) and matching slacks. His wound from the other night was still noticed by small pains, but was hardly a bother to him now.   
  
Getting irate, he grumbled and stuffed his hands in his pockets, "Faye!" he shouted.  
  
Instead of Faye coming out of the door way, Ed burst out; tumbling around until finally stopping in front of Spike.  
  
"Ed wonders where Spike-person and Faye-Faye are going tonight? Ooh! Maybe Spike-person is taking Faye-Faye on a date!" Ed grinned and brought her face closer to Spike's.  
  
Spike backed away and shook his head, "No, it's not like that Ed. I'm only taking her to buy-"  
  
"Spike-person likes Faye-Faye!!" Ed interrupted. She started to roll around and jump while she chanted, "There's love, love, LOVE in the Bebop!!" Spreading out her hands like an airplane, she continued to chant while running back in the ship.  
  
Spike had intentions of following her and shutting her up but for some reason, he didn't really care. After finishing his second cig, he finally spotted Faye walking out of the entrance. She had her usual clothes; skimpy tank top and shorts, and of course no-red coat.  
  
Faye walked over to him; a look of confusion in her face, "What's up with Ed?"  
  
Shrugging, Spike rolled his eyes, "No-one will ever know what's up with Ed."  
  
Faye nodded her head in agreement. "Yeah, so anyways," she started, "let's go now, before it gets any late."  
  
"Exactly what I had in mind." he started to walk off the ship with her. They jumped down to the wooden dock of the port and walked out to the streets of the city they were in.  
  
Both were quiet as they walked; not minding the other. Finally, Faye spoke.  
  
"So, may I ask, what type of clothes do you have in mind for me?" a little worry in her voice.  
  
Spike looked up, "I don't know yet, but I'm pretty sure it isn't your type." He turned to her to watch her face shift into discouragement.  
  
"Look, I don't want anything that's going to make me look stupid, alright?" Faye grumbled.  
  
Spike shrugged at her, "It's not stupid.. I swear it isn't."   
  
"Somehow, I don't believe you." Faye sighed and placed her hands behind her head as she strolled beside Spike.   
  
They soon entered the shopping district of the large city. Spike looked around the different window displays, hoping to find the a shop with the kind of clothes he had in mind.   
  
Faye was also looking around. She was both looking at what Spike was trying to find and shops she might convince him in going.  
  
Finally spotting the the shop he knew had the kind of clothes he wanted inside, he grabbed hold of Faye's hand dragged her in.   
  
Startled, Faye followed unwillingly. She had glanced the shop's name and whined, "Blue Paris? I don't like blue!"  
  
Spike didn't pay any attention to her, instead he continued dragging her in until they finally reached the inside of the store.  
  
A young blonde woman greeted them, "Bonjour! How may I help you in this fine evening?" she said in her fake French accent.   
  
Faye's eyes suddenly felt like it was going to go blind; everything in the store was mostly blue. She let out a soft whine.  
  
Spike turned to her and grinned, "Well, let's get them clothes." He turned back to the blonde woman, "Yeah, I'd like her-" he pointed to Faye "-to try out some clothes."  
  
The woman nodded her head, "Uh-huh, alright!" She turned to Faye, "Miss, please follow me. I'd like to get your measurements." she pulled out a measuring tape.  
  
Faye looked at her in confusion, "E-excuse me?"  
  
"Your measurements? So that I may get the right fitting clothes for you." the woman repeated.  
  
Faye raised a brow, "Measurements of what?"  
  
Spike sighed, "She wants to measure your waist, bust, yadda-yadda." He looked down; trying to hide his embarrassment.  
  
Turning red in the face, Faye face-faulted, "Oh.." she muttered.  
  
The blonde continued to urge Faye to come with her.  
  
Faye shook her head, "No, that's okay. I'll just tell you it."  
  
Spike coughed unexpectingly and looked at Faye in wonder, "You know.. you're own measurements?"  
  
Faye eyed him, "What?! Like I'm not supposed to? Besides, I'm not letting her circle around me and wrap me with that.. measuring thing." she walked down the small steps and bent down to whisper her measurements to the woman.  
  
The woman's face reddened as soon as she heard Faye's measurements, "Oh my!"  
  
Finding her surprised action offensive, Faye grabbed her collar, "Hey! It's not a big deal alright?! I grew this way!"  
  
Meanwhile, Spike stood behind it all with only one thought in mind why Faye would say those words. He shook his head, "Faye, don't kill her. Just let her get the clothes so we can go."  
  
Grumbling, Faye let the woman go and watched her scurry to the back. She turned to Spike, "Why are we shoppin here, anyways?!"  
  
Spike stepped down the steps and headed to a small sofa near the waiting rooms, not saying anything.  
  
Faye followed behind; hardening the fall of her steps as she walked. She stood in front of Spike, waiting for his answer.  
  
Spike looked up to her, "They have nice clothes here." he timidly said.  
  
"Nice clothes?! Clothes for those goody-goody people?! Those aren't nice!" Faye spat.  
  
"And you think clothes that make you look like a slut are nice?" he mumbled.  
  
Faye's nerve peaked, "Are you calling me a slut?!"  
  
Spike glanced at her up and down, making Faye squirm in dis-comfort.  
  
"What the hell are you doing?!" she let out.  
  
"I'm trying to think.. whether you look like a slut or just your clothes." Spike raised his eyes to her, "It's your clothes."  
  
Faye tried to say something back, but she couldn't think of anything. She didn't know whether or not to take his words as a comment or a compliment.  
  
Bursting in, the blonde woman hurriedly brought by a bundle of clothes, "So sorry I'm a little slow, but here are some clothes that you may find fit."  
  
Faye's eyes moved to the bundle and noticed that in fact, all clothes in this store are nothing but blue. She groaned and looked at Spike, "Blue?"  
  
Spike nodded and stood up to look at the pile. He picked outfits out one by one, carefully seeking out which one he wanted.   
  
Peeking from behind, Faye tried to see the different combonations Spike had in mind for her. She found all of them bad and out of taste, "You know, you don't have to do this. I changed my mind." she said to him.  
  
"Too late, I found one." Spike turned to her with a small pile of clothes in his arms. Grinning, he handed it to her, "Go on and try it."  
  
Faye un-reluctantly took the clothes and timidly went in the dressing room. Spike could hear her groan in dismay as soon as she went in.  
  
Sitting back down, Spike waited for Faye to finish.  
  
"I hate it!" Faye shouted from the dressing room.  
  
"Too bad, I'm sticking with it." Spike shouted back. He turned his head to the dressing room and found Faye standing there with her arms crossed and her head tilted up.  
  
Spike slowly stood up, not taking his eyes off of her. Just as he imagined; the differently hued, blue turtle neck sweater suited her upper body and the short, black leather skirt hugged her hips just right.  
  
"Blue IS not my color." Faye huffed.  
  
Spike smiled, "Faye, it looks good."  
  
Faye lowered her eyes to him questionly, "You really think so?"  
  
Walking closer to get a better view, Spike was grinning his widest, "Yeah." he answered slowly.  
  
Flushing crimson, Faye sputtered, "Well.. uh.. i-it's not my style." She stared at the floor below, trying to hide her flattery.  
  
All the while, Spike still kept his eyes at her and her outfit. Seeing a great difference, Spike spoke, "If you take out your headband, I bet you'll look more beautiful."   
  
Faye looked up at him, meeting his eyes. [Does he think I'm beautiful?] She watched as he broke their silent gaze and brought his hand up to remove her head band. She felt the pressure of the band being removed off her head and her hair falling over her eyes.  
  
With a quick move, Spike brushed the strands to the sides and tucked it behind her ears, "There, now it looks better." He still had his hands behind her ears and without thinking, he slid them down underneath her jaw.   
  
Getting lost to the feeling of closeness with Spike, Faye became weak. She felt like she was melting on him. She could feel her face burn under his touch, and her knees buckle as his warm breath brushed her forehead.   
  
Once again his eyes met at hers and all was silent.  
  
Spike, in no doubt, felt the same as he gazed in Faye's and held her near him. His eyes wandered around her face, admiring her milky tone and soft skin. He found himself leaning towards her and focusing on her lips. He swore he could see her do the same.   
  
They're lips were now an inch apart, and the air between them grew more and more hotter. Both of they're eyes closed, depending only on the width of the space between them. It wasn't soon after that they're lips brushed and...  
  
"So have you found something you liked?" a shrilly voice interrupted.  
  
As Faye and Spike opened they're eyes suddenly and noticed that they were.. extremely close to one another, both pulled back quickly.  
  
They turned away from one another; red faced and speechless.   
  
"Um sir? Have you found what you were looking for?" the blonde woman walked over to Spike.  
  
"Uh.. well yeah.. I mean," Spike quickly muttered. He turned to Faye who still stood there a little confused, "Uh... Faye, do you think that's ok?"  
  
"Um... yeah." Faye quickly answered. She motioned to the dressing room, "I-I'm gonna get my clothes and.. yeah." she hurriedly ran in the dressing room.  
  
Spike pulled out his credit card and handed it to the woman, "Um.. so thanks for the clothes."  
  
The woman nodded and left to run the credit card in the machine. She came a few minutes later--the same time Faye came out of the dressing room wearing her new outfit and carrying a bag with her old clothes--and handed the card back to Spike, "Thank you! And thanks for shopping in Blue Paris, we hope to see you soon!"  
  
The two awkwardly left the building and quietly headed back to the Bebop.   
  
Spike was walking a little bit ahead of Faye in silence. Faye didn't like the silence between them at all. After all that might have happened back there, she was hoping he could explain it to her. She couldn't for sure.   
  
Walking slower, Faye was now at least three feet behind him as they made their way back.   
  
At last they had made it home. Both went on to their own separate rooms without a word to anyone, not even to the worried Jet.  
  
~  
Sighing, Spike sat on his bed in his chamber. He pulled out a cigarette from his pocket and lit it. [What was I thinking?] he thought to himself as he replayed the 'close-to-almost-kissing-Faye' event in his mind. Sighing again, he stretched out on his bed. He breathed out some smoke and covered his head with the back of one of his hands.   
  
Thinking deep and trying to find the answers to why he tried to kiss her tonight, Spike wondered if he had fallen for her. He gave a loud grumble.  
  
A loud knock was heard behind his door. Spike looked up, "Who is it?"  
  
"Faye." the person answered.  
  
Spike immedietly stood up and opened door. Sure enough, there stood Faye outside his door with the same lovely outfit he had picked out for her, "Yeah?" He kicked himself in his mind for sounding so un-caring.  
  
"I was just wondering.. do you have my headband?" Faye softly asked.  
  
"Oh.." Spike began to dig in his pockets until he finally grab hold of it. He pulled it out and handed it to her, "Here."  
  
Taking it, Faye thanked him. She slowly turned around and just as she was about to leave, Spike grabbed hold of her arm and stopped her.  
  
"Listen, Faye. About earlier..." Spike started.  
  
"It's nothing. It was just a spur-of-the-moment kind of thing. It's no big deal." Faye answered quickly. She turned to him and smiled.  
  
Spike frowned, "No, that's not what it was." he said softly.   
  
Faye looked at him oddly, "You don't mean..."  
  
Spike shrugged, "Who knows? But I do know that it wasn't any 'spur-of-the-moment' type of thing." He leaned on his doorway and took another breathe of his cigarette.   
  
Faye stood before him, trying to store what she had heard from him, "You can't be attracted to me! You hate me!" she protested.  
  
"I don't think I do." Spike taunted, a slight grin on his lips, "I hope you don't mind."  
  
"I do mind!" Faye grunted and threw her hands up in the air in frustration. "Look, Spike! Just forget that whatever happened today, never happened!"  
  
Spike ran his fingers in his hair and shrugged, "Whatever." He then went back in his room and shut the door behind him.   
  
Faye happily stomped back to her room and slammed her door closed.  
  
Jet, who had heard the whole thing, couldn't believe his ears. [Spike, attracted to Faye?] he thought he'd never see the day. Hoping it was just a dream or his ears playing tricks on him, Jet went back to his duties without thinking anything about it.  
  
"There's love, love, LOVE in the Bebop! Whooooooo-hoooo, heeheehee!" came Ed, from who knows where, and continued on with her chanting all around the ship with Ein following and barking along with her.  
  
  
~review pleaze!~  
  
On the next chapter:  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Faye: Hey, why are we doing this?  
  
Spike: Yeah? How come we're introducing the next chapter like this?  
  
Strife21: .. um cause.. some authors do it, and I felt like it and I think it's a really cool idea!  
  
Faye: ||o.O~|| isn't that copying?  
  
Strife21: ....  
  
Spike: `'O.O'`'` ..I think it is.  
  
Strife21: .. not really...   
  
Faye: You shouldn't copy other people you know?  
  
Strife21: .. I don't mean too.. I just think it's really cool! ;_;  
  
Faye and Spike: Sure...  
  
Strife21: ... Just introduce the next fic pleaze! !_!  
  
Spike: ... fine. The next chapter is about thoughts and feelings. -looks crossly at Faye- Which someone here doesn't have...  
  
Faye: ||o.o;|| .... I have reasons..  
  
Spike: -snottily lifts chin up-  
  
Strife21: O_o? Well anyways, next chapter is mostly romance/flirt and all that mush... Chapter three: To cope; or not to cope? 


	3. To cope; or not to cope

A/N: I'm so glad you guys loved my last chapter! I almost had second thoughts about that one because Spike and Faye were a little OOC, but I'm glad you guys thought it was great. TY you all! Lotsa luv! I'm also very happy that someone went to my webpage and actually signed my guestbook! dun-dun-DUUUN! ^_^ TY Deedlit/Michi!! TY very very very much!  
BTW: If you'd like to see a drawing of what I think Faye would look like in her 'new outfit' that Spike picked for her, it'll be up on my webpage soon but if you'd like to see it now, copy and paste this address: http://www.geocities.com/kudohcale/FAYEYO1.JPG on your browser for a sneak peek. Hope you like it!  
Now enough blabbering and on with the story!  
  
Chapter three: To cope; or not to cope?  
  
  
"Dinner's done!" Jet shouted in the living room as he set the plates down on the small table in the middle. He stood there and waited for the rushing of the hungry mammals of the Bebop: Spike the tame wolf, but has the reputation of giving a nasty bite when you agitate him; Faye the striking tiger, her heart is black as coal and shallow as a tide pool; and Ed the monkey, with her shrilly yelps and and swinging arms.   
  
Jet sighed when five minutes was down and no-one seemed to be coming to dinner, "I wonder where everyone is?" he scratched his bald top.  
  
~Faye's room~  
  
Relaxing on her bed, Faye ignored the call to dinner from Jet. Placing her hands behind her head, she stared at the ceiling. The events earlier had gone to her brain and practically killed her will to concenrate on other things. Instead, all she thought about was how Spike might be attracted to her.  
  
"Stupid ass.." she cussed under her breath. Feeling more irritated, she grumbled and turned over on her side, leaving her to stare at the wall in that position.   
( Faye= [] her conscience= {} )  
  
{Faye.. it's a good thing!}   
  
The voice in her mind seemed to be arguing with her.  
  
[.. no it isn't. He doesn't know what he's talking about.]  
  
{... but Faye.. don't you like him?}  
  
[....]  
  
{Why are you always afraid of good things to happen to you?}  
  
Faye closed her eyes; a slight sad arch on her brows.  
  
[I'm.. I'm afraid that it would be too good to be true.]  
  
{You'll never know until for sure you know... at least give it a try..}  
  
Faye shook her head and reopened her eyes only to have them shed with silent tears, ".. no, I'm not going to try."  
  
{But why?!} The voice whined like a small child.  
  
Wrapping herself in her arms, Faye clenched her teeth. Tears began to pour down as the same question echoed throughout her mind. She thought of all the things in the past she wished she knew. Her family. Her friends. Her life. And now, something worth living for has been thrown at her feet.. but she was afraid to pick it up. Afraid that--like her past--it will disappear and fade away, and she'd have to go through all the sadness and depression all over again.  
  
{Faye, why?!} it tried again.  
  
[I'm dead anyways, it doesn't matter.. nothing matters! Leave me alone!]  
  
With that she shook off the voice and quickly stood up. She headed out the door and raced to the bath room where she locked herself in and quietly cried on its tile floor. Not noticing the man who stood outside it's door.  
  
  
~Spike's Room~  
  
"Dinner's Done!"  
  
Spike opened an eye as soon as he heared Jet's call. He looked up from his sitting position, staring at the door in front of him and deciding whether or not he should go now or wait until everyone else is done.   
  
He didn't notice it until now that all his smoking caused his room to linger with a hazy cloud of smoke and it's nicotine smell. He quickly pulled out his pack to check how much he had left, and found that he had none. He gave a small grumble.  
  
Throwing the empty pack aside, he loftly layed on his bed. He gave a deep sigh and looked at the situation in front of him. [I can't believe I actually like that woman!] he yelled at himself.  
( Spike= [] his conscience= {} )  
  
{.. yeah no kidding. Big surprise huh?}  
  
Spike scoffed, [Yeah, I suppose. But then again, it isn't really hard to fall for her... She does have a nice appearance.]  
  
{Hmm, yeah. But that personality of hers, what a pain!}  
  
[That's the only thing I can't figure out... why is she hiding herself?]  
  
{What do you mean, 'hiding herself'?}  
  
Spike turned his head to the side, [I don't know.. something about her and her past that she forgot. It seems to be playing a big role on her personality.]  
  
The voice paused for a minute until it began to continue, {You think her personality is like that because of her past? That's a possibility.}  
  
Spike silently agreed.  
  
{... Why are you attracted to her anyways? Just for appearance?}  
  
Thinking for a minute, Spike gave another sigh, [No... at first I thought it was just for that because of what happened in the store, but then.. there's something about her that I want to find out.]  
  
{The whole deal with her personality, right?}  
  
[Yeah... it's nagging me to find it out.]  
  
{Weird.. Well good luck Sherlock. And by the way, do you mind getting out of this cancer-bearing room? After all, I am your conscience, and I do look out for your own health.}  
  
Giving a small chuckle, Spike reluctantly stood up to walk towards his door. As he entered the hall, he breathed in the air that wasn't so polluted as his is in his room. He shut the door of his room and leaned over it.   
  
His eyes darted to his right as he heard a small thumping of the floor. Suddenly the door down the hall opened up, and an upset Faye ran out towards the bath room. Spike only caught a glimpse of her face; tears were tracing down to her chin.  
  
He watched quietly as she entered the bath room and fumbled with the lock from the inside. The fumbling soon stopped, and all was silent inside.   
  
After walking stalkingly to the door, he pressed his ears to it; hearing only muffled sobs of the woman inside.  
  
  
~Ed~  
  
Ein perked his ears up at the voice of Jet and the mentioning of food. Struggling out of the weight of Ed's head on his small body, he gave a yelp before pulling himself out quickly.  
  
Ed's head smacked the floor un-invitingly. Shooting up her arms to the sky as she woke up in pain, Ed gave a small cry, "Auwwie!"  
  
She hastily sat up to rub her head. She looked skeptically to the data-dog sitting infront of her, "Ein! Why did you do that? Ed was having a nice dream!"  
  
Ein gave a small bark.  
  
"Huh? Food?" Ed stood up and sniffed the air. She smelled the odd yet inviting smell of food. Ed squealed and ran towards the smell. She stopped abruplty in the hall as soon as she spotted Spike talking to the bathroom door.  
  
"What's wrong?" Spike seemed to be asking rather loudly to the door.  
  
Ed came up behind him, "Why is Spike-person talking to a door?" she asked curiously.  
  
Spike turned to the girl and grumbled, "I'm not talking to the door Ed."  
  
"Would you people please leave me alone!" came an angry voice from the inside of the bath room.  
  
Ed came closer to the the door and stared at it, "Ah! The door is talking!" she gave a giggle.  
  
"Ed, that's Faye, not the door." Spike corrected.  
  
"Faye-Faye is the door?" Ed hugged the door, "Faye-Faye is a door!"  
  
A big headache washed over Spike; he seriously needed another cig. He held his head with one hand and pulled Ed out of the way forcefully with the other. He swung the girl around and craned his neck so that he was facing her, "Listen Ed, Faye is inside the bath room. She is not the door. She is inside and she won't come out."  
  
Ed gave him an acknowledged look and a goofy smile, "Ed gets it! Faye-Faye is in the bath room and she is staying inside because Spike-person won't leave her alone!"  
  
Spike shot her a look, "Where the hell did you get that from?"  
  
Freeing herself from Spike's grasp, Ed ran towards the living room of the Bebop, laughing her head off. "It must be all that love around!!! Wahahhahaha!" she cackled.  
  
  
~Jet~  
  
It was almost 8 minutes since he had called dinner. Jet sat on the small couch all by himself, staring at the arranged food in front of him.  
  
Hearing a squeal from someone he recognize, he looked up to see Ed racing out of the hall and laughing out loud.  
  
Jet stood up, "Hey Ed, are you here to eat?"  
  
Ed stopped, "Ed's here to eat and Ed's here to tell you that Faye-Faye is stuck in the bath room!" Ed grinned at him then continued running in circles.  
  
"What? Stuck in the bathroom?" Jet looked up thoughtfully, "Oh that's why no-one was coming down! For a minute there I thought it was my cooking." Jet gave a hearty laugh.  
  
"Ed thinks that is a possibility! Heehee!" Ed commented and grinned wide before leaving towards the table.  
  
Jet scorned at Ed, "Yeah, yeah. You go ahead and eat while I go see if I can help Faye." He started towards the hall.  
  
  
~  
  
"Damn it, why are you in there then?" Spike asked out loud, still trying to find out what was up with Faye.  
  
"Why is it any of your concern?!" came a response.  
  
"Don't be so hard-headed, Faye! I'm just here to help you!" Spike's patience lowered and he did get a headache afterall. He turned to his right as he heard someone with heavy footsteps approaching.  
  
"Hey Spike, is Faye stuck in the bath room?" Jet walked slowly towards Spike, carrying a small toolbox with him.  
  
Spike sighed, "No, she's purposely locking herself in."  
  
Jet raised a brow and dropped the toolbox to the floor, "Why the hell would she do that?"  
  
"That's what I'm trying to figure out."   
  
Spike banged his fist on the door, "Faye! If you don't get out, Jet's gonna break the door down!" he threatened.  
  
"Fine by me! It's not my door anyways." Faye spat back.  
  
"Hell yeah it isn't your door, but the replacing is coming out of your bounty percentage." Jet chuckled out loud.  
  
There was a sudden shuffling of feet through the door. Spike and Jet stepped back and watched as the door slowly opened.  
  
Coming out, Faye looked at both men crossly. She walked out quietly and stopped short right in the middle of the two.  
  
She turned to Jet, "There, damn it!"   
  
Then she turned angrily to Spike, "Leave me the fuck alone!" she spat out then stormed to her room.  
  
Spike stood speechless. He turned to Jet who was looking at him observantly.  
  
"Spike, that woman hates you." Jet shook his head and started to walk back towards the living room.  
  
Spike sighed and decided to follow Faye into her room. He hesitated before knocking, "I don't know why I'm doing this but.. here it goes."  
  
Taking a deep breath and stepping back a few feet from her door, Spike forced himself in and quickly froze in place as a startled Faye cocked her gun at him.  
  
"Um.. hey?" he squeaked.  
  
Faye's eye twitched, "Howdy."  
  
Feeling the coldness of the gun barrel on his forehead, Spike stood straight slowly, "How's it going?"   
  
"Peachy."  
  
Spike saw that Faye's facade wasn't changing at all. Trying to reason with her, Spike calmy pushed the gun barrel away from him, "Listen, I know you're angry but... it's just-"  
  
"I don't need your help."  
  
Spike scoffed at her retort, "Why are you such a hard-ass?"  
  
Faye lowered her gun to her side, "Why can't you just lay-off my back and go away?" she countered.  
  
Shrugging, Spike rolled his eyes, "You of all people should know the answer to that.."  
  
Faye groaned and lowered her head, "Aw shit! I forgot, you 'cared'." her tone had a slight sarcasm in it.  
  
Slowly, Spike made his move towards the small bed and sat down. He watched as Faye turned to him and glared while he grinned up at her.  
  
"Look Spike, no offense, but this is something I have to deal with by myself." she noticed that her listener seemed to be fixated on something else other than her and her words.  
  
She followed his eyes, which landed on the small tv and beta player at the end of her bed. She gasped out and nervously turned to Spike.  
  
"So.. you know about it, huh?" Spike softly asked, not taking his eyes off of the beta casette sticking out of the mouth of the beta player.  
  
At first Faye wasn't sure what he meant, then a sudden recognition that he was referring to the tape, she casted her eyes down, "... yeah." She suddenly felt a little sick in the stomach as her shoulders slumped, "I-It.. wasn't any help."  
  
Catching the sadness in her tone, Spike stood up in front of her, "Faye..."  
  
Her face hidden in the shadows of her bangs, she tried to fight the will to breakdown and cry. It was a little too late as she felt her stinging tears rushed down her cheeks and to the floor.  
  
Carefully placing his hands on her shoulders, Spike brought her closer to him. He felt Faye's hands on his chest to gently push his away, but he held himself still and wouldn't allow it.  
  
Faye took a deep breath as Spike pulled her to her closer so that her head was now resting on his chest.  
  
"Faye, I'm sorry about your past." Spike softly said. He moved his hands down to her upper backside and embraced her with warmth.  
  
"No... you shouldn't say that." she replied, "You didn't do anything.." She sighed and relaxed in his arms. It was almost the same warm feeling she felt when he was near her in the store. The feeling of reassurance; knowing that someone was around for her.  
  
Just as her mind drifted to thoughts of eternal happiness, her delusional reasonings started to take its part. It told her that such feelings she longed for were completely impossible for her to reach. Her sudden reaction was to pull away from his arms.  
  
Spike gazed at her for answers. His eyes furrowed at the painful and confused look in Faye's eyes.  
  
Faye swallowed hard as Spike's eyes burned hers. She rigidly hung her hands to her sides; resisting the urge to throw them around the man in front of her.  
  
"Can you please.." her voice breaking, "leave?"  
  
Just as Spike was about to protest against it, Faye continued.  
  
"Please?" her tone almost begging.  
  
"Faye, you can tell me. I want to help y-"  
  
"I'm afraid.. okay?" Faye breathlessly answered. She felt her 'weak' side get a hold of her feelings and was once more a victim of tears, "So.. please?"   
  
Spike wanted to hold her again, but he understood and respected that she didn't want to deal with him right now. Nodding his head, he paced towards the exit of her room. He stopped midway and turned to Faye, "If you ever want to talk... remember that I'm just down the hall."  
  
Still standing at the same spot, Faye nodded without saying a word back.  
  
Hesitantly, Spike left.  
  
As her door closed, Faye instantly went over to her bed and crawled in. She was in denial again; her cruel theory of her own life replayed its morals. She hated herself for even thinking those.   
It wasn't soon that she felt too tired to think and cried herself to sleep.  
  
  
~review pleaze!~  
  
On the next chapter:  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Spike: Oh jeebus! Not this again!  
  
Strife21: Wat?!   
  
Faye: Are we doing this for the rest of this fic?  
  
Strife21: Hell yea! o.O And if you don't like it, tough luck!  
  
Spike and Faye: `'`-_-;'` ||-_-;|| gawdamn...  
  
Strife21: Bwhahahahha! Now read what's in store for the peepolz for the next chapter!  
  
Faye: -sigh- Alright, next chapter is about hungry stomachs and passionate se-  
  
Strife21: Read the que-cards right, Faye! O.O;;  
  
Spike: -snicker-  
  
Strife21: Remember that this is PG13, not NC-17 dammit!  
  
Faye: Oooh yea.. darn it all...  
  
Spike: `'`O.O;;'` ....  
  
Strife21: ugh fine! I'll do this one too! I swear, if you guys don't properly introduce the chapter next time, after this one, I'll give this fic a sad ending!  
  
Faye: ..eep!  
  
Spike: No! I don't wanna die!!!!! -cries hysterically-  
  
Strife21: Next chapter, The midnight snack among other things.  
  
Spike: -takes the title the wrong way- Bwhahahahhahaaaaa!  
  
Strife21: ¬_¬....  
  
Spike: `'`o.o'` -shuts up-  
  
Faye: -backs up Spike- Um.. don't worry, it's not hentai..   
  
Strife21: ¬_¬....  
  
Spike: `'`x.x'` er....  
  
  
~laterz, cowboy...~  
  
Faye: .. you're doing that too?  
Strife21: -sighs- -_-;;  
================================================================ 


	4. Midnight snack among other things

A/N: Sup ya'll! You know I luv all of your guys' reviews!!!!! Really gets me going to work on the next chapter! ^_^ thanx again! Sorry if this is too short. So that Chatroom fic was a total bomb eh? Hehehe oh weel, I didn't think of it good anyways.  
-Stupid Thing: do not read if you don't like stupid things- I'm obsessed with the phrase, "Dag yo!" from that (i think) SSX Tricky commercial. *_* DAG YO! To those I talk to in aim.. you must be very annoyed.. LOL Dag yo!  
  
  
Chapter four: Midnight snack among other things.  
[Hears Spike laughing in the distance]  
  
  
The Bebop was silent around the darker hours. Well, in space it's always dark but it was the time that told everyone that it was night.  
  
"12:03 a.m." Spike grumbled as he stared at his bedroom ceiling. His stomach gave a hungry cry. Spike patted his stomach, "Settle down, we'll get food." he told it.  
  
With a groan, he slowly got up. He walked towards the exit of his room, scratching his neck as he headed out. He walked towards the living room and stopped to look around. No one was around. He gave a yawn and continued towards the kitchen.  
  
Making his way there, he stopped as he saw a figure, head down on the kitchen table. A small empty glass near her, and a half empty bottle of liquor.  
  
"Whoa."  
  
Faye opened her eyes and spotted a shirtless guy walking towards her, "Heysh.." she slurred. She proceedingly looked up as the guy sat in front of her; she smiled at him, "Shpike.. whatcha' doin' up this late?"  
  
"I got hungry.." Spike couldn't help but feel amused, "Faye, you're drunk." The woman in front of him smirked.  
  
"Naw.. I'm just overly happy.. ish all."  
  
Taking the half done bottle, he looked for the label. "Moonshine? Where the hell did you get this? This is rare stuff." he eyed Faye, who went back slumping her head on the table.  
  
"I shtole it from Tijuana thish one time.." she answered.  
  
Spike shrugged. Taking Faye's glass, he poured himself a one and quickly gulped it down. The alcohol washed down his throat with speed causing him to almost spit it out. He felt his head give a sudden swish, "This thing is strong." he groaned.  
  
Faye snorted with laughter, leaving Spike suspended from the reason.  
  
"How much did you actually have of this?" he asked.  
  
"Weel.. less' say, the bottle wash full a couple of minutes before you came in." she fell into another fit of laughter.  
  
Pouring himself another glass, Spike placed his elbows up on the table, "You got any food?"  
  
Faye grunted, "Ed ate all the food..."  
  
"Dammit." Spike drank his glass and winced as the acidic liquid once again rushed down to his stomach, "So why are you getting yourself drunk?"  
  
"I need to be happy... getting drunk makes ya happy right?"  
  
"Not really.." Spike spoke, "It can for some time then it could turn right back at you."  
  
Faye chuckled, "Weel I'm quite happy right now.. hehe." She tilted her head up so that her head was still against the table but she was facing Spike, "Whatcha think of me Shpike?"  
  
Spike looked at her and shrugged.  
  
"Do you think I'm evil?" she had a cynical look in her eyes and started to laugh.  
  
"You're obviously really, really drunk now, Faye. Why don't you go to bed?" Spike asked in a worried tone.  
  
Shaking her head, Faye wobbled to her feet; supporting herself with the table, "I'm not tired yet!" she responded, "I wanna watch some telebision.." With that she started to walk towards the living room but dropped to the floor at her attempt. She snorted with laughter again.  
  
Spike gave a sigh and chuckled at her clumsiness. He got up from his seat and went beside her to help her up. He reached under her arms and lifted her laughing self up, "Faye, god you're drunk."  
  
Still laughing, Faye managed herself up to her feet once more with the help of Spike. She then proceeded to walk to the living room, but had to be led there by Spike.  
  
Spike, who held a grip on Faye under her arms, timidly followed. Even if he didn't want to spend an evening caring for a drunk, he was enjoying the fact that it was Faye and she was being so giddy. Her smile was really childish and her eyes gleamed with pure happiness.  
  
As they reached the couch, Faye propped herself on one side while Spike sat beside her with a sigh.   
  
He took the tv remote and opened the tv, "What do you wanna watch?" he turned to Faye who sat there with a slight calmness in her face. Spike turned so that his face was in front of her. She gave him a smile.  
  
"Shpike.. I think my happiness is wearing off..." she muttered.  
  
Spike smiled, "I told you so."  
  
Faye looked down to her knees then groaned out loud and threw her head back on the couch, "What if I drink more Moonshine?"  
  
"I don't think that'll help any. It'll probably just make it worse." Spike watched her slowly dissolve into bitterness. He rested his back on the couch and placed his arm around Faye's neck and pull her towards him.  
  
Faye slid her head on his shoulder, "I feel really sick."   
  
"You just need sleep." Spike reassured her. He moved her closer until she was comfortably resting in between his right arm. Her arms reached around his waist as she curled up beside him.  
  
"But.. I'm not tired yet.." she quietly renounced. Her eyes fluttered down and her breathing became soft.  
  
Spike watched as the woman in his arm silently drift to sleep. Her face was calm and angelic. So peaceful was her face that a man's own world will be brought down if he disturbs her rest the slightest bit.  
  
Spike smiled at this and prompted himself up so he could be comfortable also. He clicked around the channels of the tv, careful not to wake the person with him. He looked up to the clock in the middle of the room,  
  
"12:30 a.m."  
  
and he drifted to slumber.  
  
  
~review pleaze!~  
  
On the next chapter:  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Faye: aww such a sweet chapter!  
  
Spike: You're a funny drunk, Faye! Maybe you should stick with it as a career? HAhahahahahaha!  
  
Faye: -turns away and reveals claws for hands-  
  
Faye: -about to jump on Spike with claws but stops midair-  
  
Strife21: .. ahem.. are you guys going to do this right?  
  
Spike: `'`O.o;'` Of course! hehe..  
  
Faye: -falls off from the air and smack down to the floor- yesh..  
  
Strife21: ^_^ Alright then.. start.  
  
Spike: Ok, next chapter is a re-make of Boogie Woogie Feng Shue.  
  
Faye: -still face flat on the ground and is announcing from that position- This chapter will have part of that epishode, but will mostly have the author's alternative views of me and Spike.  
  
Spike: -looks at Faye to see if she's going to get up- Um...  
  
Faye: -still on the floor- .. I think I broke my hip..   
  
Strife21: ^__^Title! Do the title! -happy that her little slaves.. er.. borrowed characters are doing their job-  
  
Spike: `'`o.o;'` ok.. but I think Faye's hurt.  
  
Faye: I'm hurt! ||x.x||  
  
Strife21: Nah, Faye's fine. Now tell them -points to the readers- what the title is.  
  
Spike: .. okay.. Chapter five, Feng Shue? What the heck is it?  
  
Strife21: OmG! You guys actually did it! ^O^  
  
Faye: ...||x.x|| no problem.. urp..   
  
Spike: `'`O.o;;'` ..I seriously think Faye needs medical attention.  
  
Strife21: -not listening- You two deserve stickers! ^_^   
  
~laterz, cowboy...~  
========================================================= 


	5. Feng Shue? What the heck is it? p.1

A/N: Hiyaz all! Reviews gewd,gewd! happy happy!   
You say Lemons? No lemons here.. lemons are (I think) a little rushed with the story. It's like, "Spike I love you." "I love you too, Faye." then sex, sex, sex. The sex is rushed. It's fine and all, I mean it's part of the courtship of luv, but it doesn't always happen *right* after they find out they love each other. But I read 'em, if they're SpikexFaye ones ^_^ Dag yo... (BTW: Dag yo was from Amp not SSX tricky)  
  
  
Chapter five: Feng Shue? What the heck is it?  
  
Opening his eyes, Spike woke from a stiff arm. He looked to his right and saw that the woman who was supposedly there was not. He frowned. Looking around he saw that Jet was also up and was already making breakfast.  
  
"So why did you sleep on the couch last night?" he heard the man bellow to him.  
  
Spike yawned and stretched out on the couch, "I was trying to find some food, but I found out there wasn't any.."  
  
"Ed ate it all."  
  
"Yeah, I know."  
  
"That still doesn't answer my question." Jet poked his head out from the kitchen.  
  
"I watched some tv, then fell asleep. What else is there?" Spike got up from his laying position and headed to the kitchen. He eyed Jet uncomfortably as Jet eyed him suspiciously.  
  
"So," Jet said slowly and cocked an eyebrow, "Why was Faye with you? Sleeping in your arms, nonetheless?"  
  
Spike looked up innocently, "She.. was.. drunk."  
  
"Yeah.. so..??" Jet pushed.  
  
"I was only trying to get her to bed-" he stopped as soon as he saw the look in Jet's face, "Not like that Jet!" he snarled, "I was trying to get her to sleep because she was really drunk!"  
  
Jet gave a smug smile, "Yeah, I believe you." and went back to cooking.  
  
Spike sighed, "Seriously Jet, nothing happened. She fell asleep on my shoulder, and I fell asleep when I was watching tv."  
  
Jet gave a small chuckle, "Yeah, yeah. I saw the bottle at the counter this morning. Moonshine," Jet shook his head, "Damn."  
  
A soft groan made both men turn to the person standing by the doorway of the kitchen.  
  
Spike watched Faye slowly walk in, a hand on her head and a very weary look in her eyes; she sat down near the kitchen counter.   
  
"Hangover?" Jet asked.  
  
"A 'big-ass' one." she grumbled and placed her other hand on her head. She took a quick glance at Spike then turned back to her view of the counter.  
  
Wondering why she hasn't said anything to him, Spike spoke up, "Hey, you okay?"  
  
"No, I feel like shit." Faye answered. She suddenly cupped her mouth and ran out of the room.  
  
Spike could hear her rush to the lavatory and shut the door quickly. Both him and Jet shook their heads in disgust as they heard Faye's muffled purging from down the hall.  
  
~  
They were once again in Mars; Jet had an important thing to do and was only notified at the last minute. So it was only Spike, Faye, Ed, and the data dog in the Bebop.  
  
Faye was on the couch; laying on her stomach because of the ill racking feeling of her entire body. She layed there, staring at Ed who was on top of the table playing with her computer.  
  
Every now and then, Ed would stop to look at her and ask if she was okay. Faye could only nod that she was, but really she felt as if she was going to die.  
  
"Faye-Faye? What's wrong?" Ed worriedly asked Faye.  
  
Pale-faced and weak, Faye shook her head, "N-nothing's.. wrong.." she said slowly. Suddenly she felt as if she was floating; her stomach churned. Faye groaned and shut her eyes tightly.  
  
Ed pulled to her side, "Faye-Faye! Ed thinks you are sick!" Standing up, Ed touched her forehead lightly and pulled back, "Ow! So hot!" she cried dramatically.  
  
Faye couldn't help but give a small chuckle, "Ed.. I'm okay.."  
  
"Ed doesn't think so." Ed pouted. After a while, she brightened her face, "Ed will get Spike-person, okay Faye-Faye?"  
  
"Ah.. no!" Faye retorted, "You really don't need to-"  
  
Ed already left to get him before she could even finish what she had to say. Faye grumbled and hid her face in the seat cushions; refusing to be examined by Spike.  
  
"Faye, Ed says you're sick?" an all-too-familiar voice asked from above her.  
  
"No, I'm not." she answered back, still facing down on the cushion.  
  
"Ed thinks so! Ed felt Faye-Faye's forehead and Ed's hand was burned!" Ed cradled her hand as if it was injured in some way.  
  
Following after Ed had said this, Spike reached down to feel Faye's forehead.   
  
Faye, who really wasn't in the mood to be questioned for her own health, surprisingly let Spike find out himself if she was sick or not.  
  
"Faye," Spike said softly, "Ed's right, you've got a fever."  
  
Ed threw a celebration, "Ed was right! Ed was right! Faye-Faye has a fever, beaver, weaver!"  
  
Faye gave a soft whine, "I'm not sick!" she denied.  
  
"Yeah you are, Faye, now get up and go to your room. You need to be under the covers." Spike felt like he was a parent; talking a sick woman in denial to go to her room.  
  
"No." Faye tightened her body on the couch, "I don't have to."  
  
[I'm not a mother! Why do I have to go through this?!] Spike shouted in his mind. Forcefully, he took hold of Faye's arms and began to threatingly pull her up, "Faye, if you don't get up, I'll make you get up."  
  
"Don't! I'm gonna throw up if you do!" she protested.  
  
"Then get up!" he jerked her body up once.  
  
"I can't! I'll throw up!" Faye cried out and tried to wriggle out of his grasp.  
  
Carefully, Spike bent down and placed one arm under her knees and the other behind her neck.  
  
"I'm not kidding! Stop it!!" Faye felt tears behind her eyes; she wasn't sure why.  
  
Spike grinned at her face as soon as she got her to turn upside. In return, she was angry and serious at the same time; her eyes dangerously rimmed with tears.  
  
Faye looked up at him, "Let me go!" she yelled out.  
  
"Then go to your room." Spike said, still carrying her in his arms, "When I put you down, I want you to go to your room, okay?"  
  
From afar, Ed watched the quarreling between the two go off as if they were children.   
  
"Fine 'mom'." Faye mumbled and was gently placed to her feet. As soon as she was standing up, Faye felt as if she was ready to fall back down; she quickly grabbed hold of Spike's shoulder for support.  
  
Spike watched as the infuriated Faye stand there, holding him for balance, and staring blankly to the floor. He watched as her face paled even more and sweat began to drip down from her head, "Faye?" he asked gravely and placed his hand over hers on his shoulder; she was cold.  
  
"I-I don't think.. " she gave a quick breath, "I can make it to my room.." She felt a wave go through her body and almost knock her down; she hastily reached her other hand up on Spike's other shoulder.  
  
"What the hell's wrong?!" Spike asked, but before she could give him the answer, she fainted into his arms.  
  
~  
Sitting near the bedside in Faye's room, Spike sat still watching the woman in the bed struggle in her sleep.   
  
"Is Faye-Faye having bad dreams?" Ed asked from behind him.  
  
He worriedly watched Faye, "I don't know.." Reaching up to the bowl on top of the small desk, Spike took the damp towel inside and placed carefully on Faye's forehead. He tried placing it on without having it falling while she moved around.  
  
Pulling up a chair, Ed sat beside Spike as they both watched Faye mumble and thrash around in her sleep.  
  
"Do you think Faye-Faye is getting hurt in her dream?" Ed asked in wonder.  
  
"I dont' know.." Spike sighed and reached in his front pocket for a smoke. He lighted one up and took a breathe.  
  
Ed still had her eyes on Faye, waiting if she would ever wake up from whatever she was dreaming about.  
  
Spike watched also, half wanting to wake her up now and the other wanting to let her rest even if she was struggling. He watched as Faye began to break cold sweat on her forehead, her hands clinging tight on the sheets, and her face twist in agony. She whimpered softly and mumbled one or two names that were unknown to Spike. He felt sad for her; for whatever she was experiencing in her dream.. or nightmare.   
  
[Why can't I just wake her then?] Spike took a long drag of his cig.  
  
Ed's head shot up to the door, "Jet-person is here." she said.  
  
Spike looked up to Ed, "How do you know?"  
  
Ed continued, "And he's got a friend with him!"   
  
Spike was about to question him again when he heard soft voices past the walls of the room. He looked oddly to Ed, who was grinning ear to ear at him, "You're one weird kid, you know." he stated and stood up, "You stay here with Faye while I go talk to Jet for a while."  
  
Ed nodded and saluted, "Yessss sir!"  
  
Spike ruffled the young girl's head before exiting out the door.  
  
~  
Spike walked out to the corridor, hearing two voices in the living room, and wondering how the hell Ed would know that there was another person with Jet; let alone Jet himself was already here.  
  
"Hey.. who's this?" Spike asked as he entered the living room. He eyed the young woman accompanying Jet. She looked up at him with a friendly smile.  
  
When Jet came in, Spike was a little shocked that he was in his underwear (A/N: not 'underwear' literally but the white-T and shorts/boxers.. yea, anyway). Spike took another look at the young woman and noticed that she was wearing only a large white shirt. He gasped at Jet, "What's going on here?!"  
  
Jet looked at him angrily, "What do you mean, what's going on? I'm having company."  
  
"Yeah, what kind?" Spike raised an eye, "She's too young, Jet! Out of all the people in this world, I thought you'd be smart enough not getting involved in things like these!"  
  
Jet, confused, took a moment to think about what he was trying to say. After a minute, Jet looked at him in surprise, "Ya fool! You're thinking to bluntly!"  
  
Spike studied Jet's face; he was serious. "Oh.. well, then nevermind." Spike dug his hands in his pockets.  
  
The young woman laughed at the two. She stood up and introduced herself, "My name is Mayfa."  
(A/N again: does anyone know if it is Mayfa or Maifa, or what? I heard Mayfa and Mayfan.. but w/e)  
  
"I'm here to ask Jet for help on finding something called a sun stone." she gave a slight bow to Spike.  
  
"Okay, sorry about that Mayfa. I was only curious." Spike looked back at Jet, "Anyways, Jet. Faye's sick or something."  
  
Jet crossed his arms, "So that's why it's so quiet." he gave a laugh.  
  
Spike ignored his sadistic comment, "Uh-huh, and I might have to take her to hospital later so.."  
  
"Well, if you need to, go ahead. Meanwhile, I have to go help Mayfa find this stone thing." Jet replied.  
  
"Alright, I'll see you later then." Spike turned around to head back to the living room. He raised a hand and waved it backwards, "It was nice to meet you Miss Mayfa."  
  
He heard her giggle, "It was also nice meeting you."  
  
~  
Halfway down the hall, Spike heard a call.  
  
"Spike-person!!! Come quick!!" Ed shouted from the door and was waving her arms wildly in the air.  
  
Immedietly, Spike began to run towards her; afraid that something bad has happened. Turning sharply inside, Spike saw what Ed had called him for; Faye was now violently thrashing in her bed and choking out tears.  
  
Hurriedly, Spike came beside her and stood still; he wasn't sure what to do. She was shouting out desperate cries as if she was dying in her dream. Without hesitating any longer, Spike threw his arms around her arms and kept her still, yet she was still fighting and throwing her arms and legs around.   
  
Finally, after a few minutes of holding her down, she began to descend from her fighting and calm down. Spike looked at her, to see if she had stopped completely. Her breathes became soft, and her face was now resting. Spike gave a reassuring sigh; thanking god it was over for him and especially for her.  
  
Then with a sudden jerk, her eyes opened, and she shot up sitting and screamed.  
  
~review pleaze~  
  
On the next chapter:  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Spike: Dude!!! Why'd you leave a cliffhanger?!!  
  
Strife21: Sorri, I'm too busy tonight and I really wanted to get this up. -_-;  
  
Spike: Sure you are...[mumbles] lazy-ass..  
  
Strife21: -hears it-  
  
Spike: `'`O.O;'`!   
  
Strife21: .. do you want me to make that face again? You know.. the one that has "I'll kick your ass" written all over it?  
  
Spike: `'`x.x'` .. no, not really.  
  
Strife21: Well if you don't knock it off, I'm going to.  
  
Spike: ..sorry.  
  
Strife21: U bettah be, foo."  
  
Spike: Word.  
  
Strife21: I'm gonna pop yo ass if u be talkin' shit about me again, ya hear?  
  
Spike: I hear ya, homie. I ain't gonna do dat evah.  
  
Strife21: Good, 'cause I'll pull a puffy at u boi.  
  
Spike: `'`x.x;;;'` ... damn.  
  
Strife21: Chapter six, Feng Shue? What the heck is it? Part 2! I be rapping, yo.  
  
Spike: Dag man, u got skillz.  
  
~laterz, cowboy...~  
  
Spike: By the way, where's Faye?  
  
Strife21: ... i dunno.. where IS she? -thinks thoughtfully-  
============================================================ 


	6. Feng Shue? What the heck is it? p.2

A/N: Yo'z, wassup! Anyways, I luv the reviews (as always) ^_^ I really appreciate them! Anyways, here's part two of chapter five. As I might have said, this takes place during Boogie Woogie Feng Shue, but the actions and whatnots aren't going to be shown here in detail (or I'll change it slightly) 'cause.. I thought that episode was a little boring ~_~. Oh yeah, thanks Aldrean Treu Peri for getting it straight that it's Meifa not Mayfa.. hehe whoopsy-me! And to Ckrisz- Jet's in his undies 'cause he and Meifa fell in water in that episode and they had to get dry. Well ENJOY!   
  
*Warning!! May contain Spoilers!!.. I warned you!*  
  
Chapter six: Feng Shue? What the heck is it? part two.  
  
-Faye's Dream-  
  
Darkness; it was all that enveloped her.   
  
Faye stood still, unaquainted to the environment around her. The vast darkness was thick and the air was clammy; it was almost palpable to her fingers, if she was able to reach out and try.  
  
With a throaty voice she called out, "Hello?"  
  
It was odd; her voice echoed wildy as if she was caved in with walls. Peering around, she tried to focus her eyes around her. No walls, only darkness.   
  
Her stomach knotted as a sudden rush of cold air brushed her bare ankles. She twisted around, half suspecting that someone or something was behind her. But there was nothing.   
  
She started to shiver. Looking down, Faye noticed she did not have clothes on. Faye gasped as another swift cold air pricked her exposed flesh, this time encircling her. Quickly, Faye wrapped her arms around her body; afraid of the unknown things happening to her.   
  
The clammy air that used to be present, now turned into bitter coldness. Faye tried to move from her current position, but found that she couldn't and only stood still. She could feel herself numbing from the freezing air that now grew larger around her; her breath creating a warm mist as she exhaled.   
  
She fell to the ground with a whimper; her feet was unable to stand the air as it chilled them. [What is happening to me? Why am I here? Where is 'here'?] These thoughts raced in her mind.  
  
Without any idea if this was just a dream or the faith of her harsh reality, Faye began to sob. Tears rolled down her cheeks, burning her cold skin with it's warmness.   
  
Now the cold air was almost too unbearable to her body. Trying to overcome the damned coldnes around her, Faye tried to fight it off; violently swinging her arms around her and kicking her legs out. Her body never responded to her will. She cried more tears--more and more.  
  
She felt that she was no longer shivering, yet it was still cold. She questioned her mind whether or not her body has frozen over; she felt the cold but she could not move.  
  
Faye felt her eyes start to drop although she wasn't feeling like she needed sleep. She desperately kept them open and vigil, but soon enough her eyes closed itself shut.   
  
She was still enclosed in darkness; only difference was that she could no longer feel the stinging coldness of her flesh.   
  
A sudden wave within her stomach made her gasp out loud; her eyes shot open.  
  
She looked around; she was no longer in the dark, instead she was now sitting quietly on some sort of passenger seat. She looked around and saw there were others also, sitting on other seats that looked just like hers. The ceiling above her was low, and the walls were a little closed in. A walkway split the room in half; each half had seats with various types of people.  
  
A quiet male voice from beside her made her turn her head. A man with pale blue eyes and dark, smokey hair smiled at her.  
  
"So what do you think of space, Faye?" the voice asked softly--eerily soft.  
  
[Who.. are you? How do you know me?]  
  
Faye only stared at the man, not sure where in the world she was at now. Suddenly, several scenes flashed in her eyes; scenes involving this man. After a while, her eyesn still at the man, she began to feel flush and warm. But still, deep within her, the scenes didn't make any sense.  
  
Still she smiled. Her mouth opened to answer him, surely she was saying things for the man had smiled back at her widely; yet she did not know or hear what she was saying.  
  
"The moon is beautiful. Look out your window, Faye." the man looked over her head and behind her.   
  
Faye turned her head to her right side and stared in wonder at the sight in the window. The moon, and it's pale glow, glazed her eyes.   
  
A sudden mental flash made her think; *Has she seen this before?* Quickly she looked back at the man sitting beside her; he turned to her with a soft smile. She was startled, [I-I know who you are!]  
  
The man noted her quick change in expression.  
  
"Are you okay?" he asked; his face a bit worried.  
  
[I know you!] Faye wanted to shout, but couldn't. She gave out a frustrated whimper, *She knew this before; from somewhere, someplace.* Turning to look out the window once more, her eyes caught a small star twinkle rapidly.  
  
A sudden jerk of the ship caught her off guard and she was violently shoved forwards. With her head down low and staring at her feet, Faye figured where she was and what was to happen next. Worried murmurs and frightened voices filled the area around her and all she did was stare down on the floor.   
  
"Faye!" the man shouted to her.  
  
Drops of tears hit the floor under her, her tears. She slowly sat back up and looked up at the man; he was crying also.   
  
"Faye..." he whispered. He lifted his hand up to brush her cheeks. His move only made her cry more tears.  
  
Faye began to feel everything around her, start to float. Her body began to rise upwards and her arms lifted with them. Red-lights flashed around the room and people screamed and cried in fear.  
  
Sadly, Faye turned her head back at the window. A small crack split the round glass in half--then slowly--another had connected with it. From afar, she saw the same star that had been shining wildly, dimmer then fade.  
  
The window in front of her burst open.  
~  
  
"Nooooooo!!!!!!!!!"  
  
Faye shot up from her bed, eyes wide open; her tears, mixed with sweat, heavily fell down her face.  
  
"No!!" she cried. She reached her hands up in front of her as if she was trying to take something back.  
  
Spike's heart leapt as she began to sob. He got up and rushed in front of her. He quickly sat down and held her in a tight embrace; her arms still reaching out behind him.  
  
"You can't do this to me! I-It's not fair!!!" she frantically cried.  
  
A little scared, Ed backed away from the two and hid behind the entrance of the door way. She held her ears closed from all of Faye's screaming. To her side, she spotted Jet angrily rushing towards her; his female visitor right behind.  
  
"Why is this happening to me?!" Faye angrily spat out. She seemed to be shouting to something from in front of her; though Spike couldn't figure out who and why.  
  
Reaching for her hands, Spike brought them down and around his neck. Slowly he shushed the whimpering woman in his arms.  
  
Relaxing and falling back from her dream, Faye tightly clung on Spike. She burrowed her face on his shoulder and began to weep.  
  
Just as Spike thought that she going to quiet down and refrain from crying, he heard Faye slowly increase her sobs. Spike furrowed his eyes and gently moved a hand up and down her back, reassuringly.  
  
"Faye... what happened?" he asked; his voice barely in a whisper.  
  
He felt her clutch tighter. She quieted down for a minute, as if she was thinking before answering him.  
  
"I-I don't remember..." she replied, and her sobs became stronger.  
  
"What the hell's going on here?" Jet shouted from the doorway. As soon as he saw Faye crying on Spike's shoulder, he regretted his shouting. Meifa watched from behind him; her eyes worriedly at the two in the room.  
  
Spike looked up to Jet, "It's nothing," he paused, "It's just a bad dream."  
  
Jet cleared his throat, "Will she be okay?"  
  
"Yeah." Spike answered and turned his head back.  
  
Ed looked up at Jet, "Faye-Faye was loud... Ed got scared." she whispered.  
  
Jet lightly smiled at the little girl, "Come on, Ed. Let's go to the living room." He turned around and mentioned Meifa to follow also.  
  
"But, Jet.."   
  
"As long as Spike's there, they'll be ok." he assured her.  
  
Meifa nodded and followed him back to the living room.  
~  
  
*What could a man do when a woman won't let go of him as she drifted to sleep?*  
  
"Absolutely nothing..." Spike muttered as he lay on Faye's bed beside her; her arms still clutching around his neck and her head resting on his chest.  
  
He gave a deep sigh then smiled at his position, "..I'm too damn nice.."  
  
Looking down, Spike eyed his sleeping beauty--her hair splayed all over his chest--and brought a hand up to her shoulder that hung around him.  
  
She had fallen asleep in their embrace, which probably lasted an hour or so, and she refused to let him go when he urged her to lay back down.  
  
"Faye?" he asked out, doubting she would answer.  
  
Surprisingly she gave a soft grunt as an acknowledgement.  
  
Spike gave a soft chuckle, "Promise you won't go ballistic as soon as you realize what you're doing right now, okay?"  
  
Faye gave another soft grunt and moved her head upwards to his shoulder; her face inches from his neck.  
  
Spike could feel her warm breath on his neck; he couldn't help but grin.  
  
Briefly he kissed her forehead, as if it was a natural thing he does. Lifting his other hand up, he placed it over her hand around his neck and held it tight. Her hand was cold, but when he lightly kissed her forehead, she was still feverishly hot. He moved his hand away from hers for a while, just to pull the blanket over her, then returned it.  
  
Sighing again, he pondered at what she may have been dreaming earlier. [She said she forgot them...] he said to himself, [How can she.. so quickly?]  
  
Several seconds past until he brushed the subject off and turned his attention back to Faye. He figured he might as well sleep now since he had no choice.   
  
Lifting her arm up and closer to him, Spike turned his body slightly so that he was facing her. Fortunately she wasn't disturbed at his quick move. Taking his other hand--that had been stuck underneath Faye--he lifted it around her and placed it around her waist.  
  
He pulled the blanket upwards more, adjusted her hand around his neck, and rested his free hand on her back.  
  
"Good night, Faye." he said softly. He watched as Faye's head inched slightly closer as she muttered something back.  
  
Her face so close to his, Spike had an intention of kissing her lips, but fought it. He knew he had to take this *thing* slowly, especially with Faye.  
  
[Hey, but she's asleep.] Spike snickered to himself.  
  
Leaning over slowly, he softly kissed her lips; his own burning with the sensation. When he pulled away, he still could feel his lips pulling for more. So he bit them, trying to fight the urge to do it again--this time longer than his first.  
  
Sighing out loud, Spike pushed his urges and rested his forehead against hers. He smiled before closing his eyes to sleep.  
  
*What could a man do when a woman won't let go of him as she drifted to sleep?* He asked himself again.  
  
"Stay with her and hope to god that when she wakes, she won't throw a fit after she finds out what you did." he whispered softly.  
~  
  
"Spike-person?"  
  
A tiny voice called to him. He lifted his eyes up and saw, through his blurry vision, a small smiling face with big red hair.  
  
"Spike-person, hell-ooooooo?" it called out.  
  
Spike muttered stubbornly, "Five more minutes.."  
  
Just as he was about to go back to sleep, another voice caught his attention.  
  
"Get up, Spike. Jet wants you."  
  
He opened his eyes and looked up again, and surely enough there was Faye standing above him, looking down skeptically.  
  
"Faye.." he grumbled, "You should be resting, you're sick." With a groan, he sat up and stretched his arms up in the air. He eyed her now, in her white undershirt and black skirt; she seemed to be back in her cool nature. Spike wondered where the ill woman was at.  
  
Faye put her hands on her hips, "We've been asleep for at least 4 hours now. Besides," she put her hands up, "I feel better."  
  
Spike swung his legs to the side of the bed, not taking his eyes off of Faye.  
  
Faye eyed him back; her brow twitched, "What?"  
  
Shaking his head and managing a grin, Spike stood up, "Nothing, it's great you're not sick anymore." He boldly placed an arm around her shoulders and leaned closer to her, "So, did you have a nice nap.. with me?" his eyes glinted teasingly.  
  
Ed giggled at Spike's question and Faye flushed red.  
  
In annoyance, Faye elbowed him in the gut.  
  
Spike ducked back; his body bent over and a hand over his stomach. He gave a groan, "What the hell?"  
  
Faye gave a soft snarl and walked out of the room.  
  
Ed was still laughing, but laughing now at Spike's pained-face, "Spike-person," she said, "Ed thinks you are trying too hard."   
  
Spike stood straight up again, still holding his stomach in pain, "Oh yeah? How do you know?"  
  
Ed grinned radiantly, "Hehe, Ed knows many things!" her lips curved slyly, "Like.. what Faye-Faye said when she woke up."  
  
"What did she say?" Spike raised an eye.  
  
"Something about Spike-person!" she giggled, "Faye-Faye was smiling when she told me, too!" Ed pointed to the huge grin she had on her face.  
  
Spike's eyes widened, "She was talking about me?" Ed's head nodded to him, "Really?"  
  
Ed nodded again, "Yeah.. but Ed's not telling you what Faye-Faye said, because," she bent over closer to him; a hand covering half of her face.  
  
Spike leaned closer and turned his head to listen.  
  
Ed breathed in, "Faye-Faye said not to tell Spike-person!!" she screamed out, nearly deafening Spike. She rushed out and left the man in his position; a ticked-off expression appeared on his face.  
  
Spike stood there for a minute as his left ear gave off a terrible high-pitched ring.  
  
"Damn.." he muttered.  
~  
  
"Yo, Spike! Took you long enough to get up." Jet hollered to him.  
  
Spike simply gave a nod at him and scanned the room. There was Meifa and Jet sitting on the long couch and Faye sitting comfortably on the one-seated chair. He smiled and walked towards her.  
  
Faye looked up as Spike came by leaned on her chair.  
  
"Hey, honey." he winked at her.  
  
Feeling her cheeks flush again, she grumbled, "Would you knock it off?"  
  
"Knock what off?" he flashed her a grin.  
  
Jet looked at the two then face-faulted, "Would you two love birds take it somewhere else?"  
  
Faye looked over to Jet in disbelief, "You're kidding me, right? Spike and I will never be-"  
  
Spike shook his head and pulled out a cigarette from his front pocket; he lit it, "I'm not sure about that... I mean, you were clinging on me a couple of hours ago. And we did sleep together."   
Now Jet wasn't ready to hear about the last thing he said. Immedietly he stood up, "What?! You two..s-slept together?!"  
  
The infuriated Faye burst out of her seat, "He slept beside me! We didn't do anything!"  
  
Spike slid himself on Faye's seat, and began to hum. Faye turned around and saw him take her seat; angrily she tried pulling him out.  
  
"Spike, quit being such a moron!" she shouted.  
  
"Then don't deny the love, hun." Spike calmly answered.  
  
Meifa, who had been watching the whole scene in front of her, began to laugh. Jet looked over to her with a pathetic face.  
  
"Please don't pay any attention to them?" Jet said to her.  
  
"It's quite alright, Jet." she stopped to say, "They seem to enjoy each other's company."  
  
The fight between Spike and Faye stopped briefly as Faye pointed to the couple on the couch, "And what about you, Jet?! You brought your girlfriend here!"  
  
"Now, listen!" Jet stood and brought his fist up, "She's a guest, not a girlfriend!"  
  
"Well then get this in your puny little brain, Spike and I aren't love birds!!" she yelled back, shoving her face in front of his.  
  
Spike blew out smoke before he commented on the subject, "That's right, we're love-" he stopped for a minute to think, "-love fish. Yup, together, forever, just swimming in the stars of space."  
  
"Shut up! You're not helping!" Faye turned to him once more and continued her pulling, "Get off my spot!"  
  
"What's wrong my little golden scale?" Spike chuckled as Faye continued trying to pull him out by the arm.  
  
A large sweatdrop appeared just above Jet's left brow as he sighed deeply.  
  
Meifa kept her giggling, and found the Bebop crew rather interesting.  
~  
  
Minutes had passed before Jet stopped the two and asked them to pay attention.  
  
"So, Meifa and I found the sun stone but it wasn't easy. Their were guys trying to stop us along the way." Jet held up the sun stone in front of him then placed it on the small table in front of him.  
  
He looked at the two; Faye was now sitting on Spike's lap--her face irate and disturbed, in the meanwhile Spike sat on the chair, one arm around Faye's waist to keep her from leaving.  
  
"So what's up with this thing?" Spike asked. He looked up for a moment, to Faye; she had stubbornly placed her arms across her chest and was trying not to make any eye contact to anyone. He gave a grin then looked back to Jet for his answer.  
  
Jet glanced at Meifa for a bit, her face gazed down to the floor as she answered for him, "See.. that's what we don't know. There must be a reason why my father wanted Jet to find this. I figured it could be something to help us find him.. but how?"  
  
Ed, who had joined them in the room, was on the steps playing with Meifa's Lo Pan. She was twisting and turning it around, trying to find out what it was. Ein sat beside her, eyeing the stone on the table and coming back to the device in Ed's hand.  
  
Faye took a quick look at the stone on the table, "That's what you guys were looking for?" she scoffed, "It looks like a regular piece of rock to me." She felt a small pull from Spike's arm around her and immedietly she turned her eyes at him in anger.  
  
"What?" Spike said innocently.  
  
Jet's voice interrupted Faye's retort, "It's not just a rock, Faye. I won't get in the details but this thing has to do something, we just don't know what."  
  
Sprinting over, Ein came by and grabbed the stone with his mouth and gave it Ed.  
  
Ed squealed as the Lo Pan in her hands moved around. All eyes fell upon it.  
  
Meifa stood up quickly as she saw what was happening, "T-That can't happen! The Lo Pan only reacts to things magnetic and I took it off."  
  
"It's got to be the stone doing that." Jet said to her.  
  
"Yes, but," Meifa stalled, "but why and.. how?"  
  
Jet, Spike, and Faye felt silent. They looked up at Meifa as she thought. Her head shot up suddenly.  
  
"Wait! That's it! We can do it!" Meifa said out loud.  
  
"Do what?" Jet asked.  
~  
  
Zooming through hyperspace, the Bebop moved along in speed.   
  
"So tell me, how's this thing suppose to do now?" Jet scratched his head as he asked Meifa.  
  
"Well you see," Meifa started, "My father has the a stone exactly like that, and the two stones resonate with each other. That means, if we follow the directions of the Lo Pan that's being directed magnetically with the sun stone, we can find my father."  
  
Jet thought that was a pretty incredible explanation. He nodded, "So this will help us find Pao." he gave a light chuckle, "That's pretty clever of him."  
  
Meifa gave a faint smile that soon diminished, "Yes but, what I couldn't figure out was why he had given that message to you and.. not me."  
  
Jet looked up at her, "Your father was in dangerous grounds, I'm sure he just didn't want you to get hurt or anything."  
  
Looking down at the Lo Pan, Meifa sighed, "I don't know.."  
~  
  
"Hey Faye?" Spike asked as he knocked on her door.  
  
An angry yell answered, "What do you want now?"  
  
Spike pushed open the door and came in willingly. He looked down at Faye sitting on her bed, her blue turtle neck sweater back on, and looking at him acidicly.  
  
"I didn't say you could come in." she grumbled.  
  
Spike shrugged, "I know, but since we shared this room once before, I thought you wouldn't mind as much."  
  
Faye's face hinted red, "Look, would you stop making such a big deal with that? It's really annoying."  
  
Sitting beside her, Spike pulled out his cig and lit it.  
  
With disbelief in her eyes, Faye watched the man voluntary sit beside her without permission. She gave a scoff, pretending his gesture didn't agitate her, and continued on with her speaking, "All I did was sleep beside you. So what? It's not a big deal!"  
  
Spike curved a grin at the corner of his mouth, he gave a short chuckle, "It was for me."  
  
Faye groaned out if frustration, "Do you know how much I would *love* to strangle you right now?"  
  
Putting his hands up, Spike shrugged. Picking his cig off of his mouth, he turned to her, "Anyways, I came here for a reason other than because I missed you."  
  
He couldn't help but enjoy the twinge of her brow as he said the last three words.   
  
"I came over to talk to you." he continued to say.  
  
"About what?" Faye grumbled.  
  
"Your dream."  
  
Spike saw that her eyes dimmed as soon as he had said that. He almost wanted to say 'Nevermind' but he just had to urge her to tell him.  
  
".. What about it?" Faye asked softly.  
  
"Are you lying to me when you said that you forgot?" Spike raised an eye to her.  
  
Sighing, Faye moved back against the wall and placed her arms around her stomach, "No.."  
  
Spike watched her action as she answered; she didn't seem to be bluffing, "You forgot it as soon as you woke up?"  
  
Faye nodded slowly, "Kind of dumb, huh?"  
  
"No.. I didn't mean it at all like that." Spike backed out, thinking he might have offended her.  
  
"It's stupid, really. What kind of idiot forgets a dream like that?" she sighed, "I could of at least remembered a small tiny bit of it... but no, my brain shuts down whenever I try."  
  
Spike lowered his voice, "That doesn't mean you're an idiot or you're stupid. That doesn't mean anything."  
  
".. Maybe to you.. but to me," Faye muttered, "It's always a constant worry whether or not it's a good thing these unknown dreams happen to me or not."  
  
Moving back on the wall with her, Spike nodded, "I take it that this wasn't the first dream you woke up from, remembering nothing from it."  
  
Faye smiled crookedly, "Yeah, there's been one or two before. Wasn't as big of a deal as this one." her faced casted downward, "This one I felt I really needed to know."  
  
She sighed and pulled her knees to her chest, curling up in a ball. She turned back to Spike, who had been just silently staring at her, "Do you know what's my theory on why I can't remember my dreams?"  
  
Spike shook his head, "No. What's your reason?"  
  
"I'm thinking it's not actually a dream but more of a memory." she said softly, "I'm thinking it's a relapse of me in a memory, and the reason why I can't ever remember them when I wake is-" she stopped and gave out a breath.  
  
Crumpling his eyebrows at her, Spike knew it was difficult for her to say these things to him, especially talking about having an unknown past.  
  
"Because..." she turned her head down to her knees and lowered her eyes, "I don't know anything about it. Because, supposedly, it's not in my memory anymore."  
  
"Faye," Spike whispered, "You should never let yourself get dragged down with your past. You need to focus on your life now and what's ahead of you."  
  
"It's not like I can run from it though. It's like a damn piece of wood I keep tripping over at every step, no matter how hard I try to avoid it. You know what I mean? It's something that's always going to be there, and I can't just kick it out of the way." she looked at him, her eyes softening.   
  
"It isn't as easy as what you would think, letting go of the something like this." she argued, "I mean it's my past, my childhood; moments of my life when more things change and happen. They say childhood is the most sattisfying period of your life."  
  
Spike kept his mouth shut, knowing whatever he would say to argue back to her would not help any. He knew she was right.  
  
"How can *I* know that when I don't know what my childhood was all about?" she finished, barely audible to Spike's ears.  
  
Worriedly eyeing the woman beside him, wishing he could just take everything miserable in her life away with words, he couldn't find any words that can even match up to her case.  
  
"People say live your life to the fullest. How can I when half of it disappeared? Life is from the minute you are born to last minute of your life." she gave a small chuckle, "Mine's from the minute I woke from cyro-sleep and to the last minute of my life. It's sad, really."  
  
"Think about this, Faye." Spike finally thought of another point, "Their are millions of people out there who probably wishes they never knew their past." The moment he said that, he thought about himself and his past, "They would love to be you.."   
  
"It's still not the same. People with a bad past at least has one. They at least know who they are, who their parents are, who they grew up with. Rocky pathways are natural things in life; at least they get to experience them." Faye said back, "Afterall, they build part of a person's personality; which I lack so I doubt they'd *love* to be me."  
  
Spike had to admit that Faye was good at backing up her logics. He suspected that she had gotten these from her own experience. Spike sighed, "Okay, I admit you are right but, Faye," he leaned closer to her, "Do you know how much I would love to have lived a life like yours for the past three years since you were out of cyro-sleep?"  
  
Faye looked at him oddly, "Why?"  
  
Spike shrugged, "You were free. I wasn't. I had to fight my way out to be free and I suffered consequences from it." He noticed his cigarette was now down to the filter end. Quickly he leaned to the small table at the bedside and smashed it in the ashtray and sat back down and continued, "Anyways, you have to at least be grateful that you are at least alive and that no-one is after your head, right?"  
  
"I am grateful." Faye answered, "I'm grateful that I actually belong somewhere, I'm grateful that I lived through whatever happened in my past, and I'm grateful to have.. all of you."  
  
Spike smiled, "Really?"  
  
Faye gave him a lopsided smile, "Why do think I'm still here even when I have to put up with your annoying shit everyday?"  
  
Feeling the atmosphere around them lighten, Spike placed an arm around her shoulder. Miracalously, Faye did not flinch at his move. He smiled even more, "I dunno, I thought maybe 'cause I'm too handsome and sexy." he answered her.  
  
For a while Faye didn't say anything back. Instead she looked at him, in his eyes.  
  
"..that could be a reason." she said softly, "Thanks for staying with me, and talking to me."  
  
He was pleased at what she had said, which made him want to know more about something else. Spike gazed at Faye, "Do you think we'll ever be friends?"   
  
Faye stretched her arms in front of her, "We are, Spike." she replied, a slight 'bouncy-ness' in her tone. She looked back at Spike who was intensely looking at her.  
  
"Do you think we'll be more than that?" a certain seriousness in his eyes.  
  
Faye saw that he wasn't being playful and her face became tinted with pink and her expression turned into frustration. She opened her mouth to answer but closed them back. [What am I suppose to say? I-I..]  
  
Just as Faye was about to say something, both crew members flew to the right then harshly back to the left as the Bebop seemed to have collided with something.  
  
"Spike?! Faye?! We have company!" Jet's hoarse yet demanding yell traveled from down the hallway.  
  
Faye looked at Spike as he did her.   
  
Standing up, Spike offered her a hand which she gladly took, "Tell me later." he smiled.  
  
Faye nodded, still flushed, and the two went down the hall, her hand in his.  
~  
  
Spike and Faye made their way to the control room of the ship. They spotted Jet sitting in the behind the controls and Meifa looking out the side window.   
  
Spike walked towards Jet, "So who's paying us a visit?"  
  
Jet pressed a couple of buttons out in front of them, "I guess people from the Syndicate trying to scare us away." he stopped to turn to him, "I believe we have found where Pao is. The sun stone stopped its resoning here and that's when these damn people started showing up."  
  
"Well, what do you want us to do?"  
  
Jet looked back at the screen in front of him, "Get out there with Faye and stop them before they stop us."  
  
Upon hearing this, Faye gave an exasperated sigh, "This is your party, Jet!" the Bebop gave a violent rumble.  
  
Jet spoke harshly, "Either get to the battlestations or go down with the ship!"  
~  
  
"What the hell am I doing?" Faye whined as she flew out of the Bebop and into the hyperspace with her zip craft.  
  
Through the intercom, Spike responded, "It's called giving, Faye. Just think of us as 'fairy-godparents' granting the princess her wish."  
  
Faye sighed, "Is that right?"  
  
Flipping a switch, Faye sped up towards the large white cruiser before them. Many small ships came out from its small compartments in the front.  
  
Spotting them also, Spike gave a grunt, "Robot ships? So these are the evil stepsisters."  
  
"Spike, you're one messed up man." Faye gave a laugh. She gripped her her handles, ready to start firing; at last, one came towards her. Pulling back on her handle and squeezing the trigger behind it, Faye twisted her craft while shooting one down.  
  
Meanwhile, Spike created a spiral spin when he being shot at, then shot a few shots before getting one.   
  
Zipping closer towards the ship, Faye was trying to shoot one that had been trying to get her when it suddenly grazed itself on her side, pushing her towards the hyperspace barrier.  
  
Slicing her left wing side through the barrier, Faye's ship rumbled and started its warning signals; red lights flashed in her ship and Faye suddenly stopped her breathing.  
  
*Red lights...*  
*A ship...*  
*Space...*  
  
She snapped back as an angry yell from the intercom woke her.  
  
"Faye, get the hell out of there!" Spike said to her.  
  
Breathing in panicked breaths, Faye wondered what the hell that was all about. Quickly, she pulled to her left and freed herself from the gravity pull of the barrier. Her lights still flashed red and it began to scare her. The crimson that flashed in her eyes triggered fear to her; she had to turn it off.   
  
Spike looked over to Faye's ship seeing that she was just staying in one pathway and not firing at all, "What the hell is she doing?"   
  
[Turn the fucking light off!] she shouted in her head while she looked for the button to do so. In her frustration, she couldn't seem to find it. Now she was growing more afraid; it became strong in her and she wasn't sure why. [It's the damn lights!] she blamed. Looking up at the small red-blinking bulb, Faye angrily smashed it with her fist; her hand bursting with blood yet she didn't feel the pain.  
  
"Faye! Get out of the way! Jet wants me to do something and I need you out of the way!" she heard Spike yell from the radio. She brought down her shaking, bloody hand and brought it up to her chest, finally feeling the sting of the glass in her flesh.  
  
Taking her shaky left hand, she punched in a code and automatically her craft made a complete turn around and stayed underneath the left wing of the Bebop. She placed her bleeding hand in a piece of white cloth she had found laying around and kept her left hand over it, adding pressure. She breathed in and out slowly as she stared at the blood dripping on her lap, [What the hell did I just do?] Her surprising reaction to the blinking of the red light was a mystery to as why she would be so desperate to do it. A bright blue light glowed from out her window and she looked up to see.  
  
Spike had used his plasma cannon and shot something that created a small vex hole in the barrier. Faye watched in awe as the hole became larger. The Bebop above her quickly came beside it, and Faye also followed behind. As she got closer, she saw the dark center shoot out electricity as some of the small robot ships got sucked in and explode.  
  
Then something started appear from the dark center as it widened; a ship. Tiny volts of electricity surrounded it as it appeared.   
  
A minute had past and the ship was beginning to become closed in as the hole threatened to decrease its size. The Bebop started to back away as the hole in the barrier slowly phased to normal.  
  
Faye started to make her way back to board the ship when the hole completely closed. She saw Spike's ship follow after her, a couple more miles away. Quickly exiting her craft, Faye rushed out the hanger and into the hall. As she passed the living room, she stopped for a minute when she spotted two objects sitting on the couch.  
  
It was Meifa, crying. Jet was sitting beside her, his hand on her shoulder, reassuring her that everything was okay. Faye guessed that Pao was in that ship in the vex hole, and that there wasn't any way to save him after all. Faye worriedly eyed the crying girl, feeling pity and sorry for her.   
  
She gasped as she heard the sliding door behind her give out a hiss of air. She looked down to her hand, it was still bleeding, she couldn't let Spike see it. [He'd ask to many questions... and I'd feel really stupid if I told him I didn't know.] Quickly, she escaped through the bath room and shut the door.  
  
She pressed her ears on the door.  
  
"Hey.." she heard his low voice say. Faye suspected that he had just seen Meifa on the count of his tone being so sad.  
  
Then she heard Jet say a couple of things back, but she couldn't quite hear. "Where's Faye?" she heard Spike ask. Jet answered back to him and she heard Spike's feet shuffle towards the front of her door.  
  
"Faye? You in here?" he was in front of the door now.  
  
Faye clenched her hand in pain as she felt a piece of glass, scratch her flesh inside, "Y-yeah, I'm in here!" she tried to say without hinting him that she was hurt.  
  
"Are you okay? What are you doing in there?" Spike asked rushly.  
  
"I'm going to-" Faye thought quickly, "take a bath!"  
  
There was a pause at the other side of the door before she heard him speak, "Okay.. I'll talk to you later then."   
  
"Okay." Faye replied before she heard his feet shuffle away from the door.  
  
Sighing, Faye went immedietly to the sink and took off the now-soaked-with-blood cloth and opened the faucet. She placed her right hand under the rushing, cool water and tried to clear it away from all the blood. When most of the blood went into the drain, Faye took a good look at it and started picking out the small pieces of glad inside of it; squinting at the painful feelings shooting out to the veins of her hand.  
  
She got most of it and sighed at what kind of damage she did to the palm of her hand. A large, almost blotchy, open wound lay in the middle. She looked down at her clothes, remembering that it was dripping profusely, and gladly found out that it had only dripped on her black leather skirt.   
  
Faye looked at herself in the mirror and frowned at her appearance, "Might as well take a shower now, I guess." Disrobing herself, Faye climbed in the shower and turned the warm water on, followed by the cold to keep it at moderate temperature.  
  
Faye stood there with her eyes closed, her face right in front of the shower head, letting it drown her face.  
~  
  
She didn't keep track of the time while she took a shower; it had been almost two hours since she was in there.   
  
Coming out, finally, Faye was in her white robe; carrying her dirty clothes in her left hand her right hand bandaged up neatly.  
  
She sped through the halls and into her room as the chilly air of the Bebop stung her skin. She was relieved as she stepped inside her room, that Spike wasn't there. Quickly closing her door, she took off her robe and searched for her small white-undershirt and black cotton shorts to put on. She threw her dirty and pre-soaked clothes into a small plastic bag and shoved it on a corner.  
  
Throwing herself on her bed, Faye sighed in her pillows as she prayed for rest. Her eyes drooped drunkly as she gave in to sleep. Her mind was still racing with her odd action with the red light earlier, and fought it while she shut her eyes.  
  
"It's just a damn red light." she muttered, thinking nothing of it; when actually it was a small link to her past.  
  
~review pleaze!~  
  
On the next chapter:  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Spike: `'`O.O'` Wow! That was really long!  
  
Strife21: ^_^; Ye-up!  
  
Spike: I must say, I enjoyed this chapter very much.  
  
Strife21: Weel thank you Spike! =^_^=  
  
Faye: -just pops out of nowhere- ||-.-|| hey guys..  
  
Spike: Faye!! `'`^-^'`  
  
Strife21: o.O where you been?  
  
Faye: ...I just found out what you're doing next chapter.. Strife.   
  
Strife21: O.O;  
  
Spike: .. What's she doing now?  
  
Faye: She's bringing your brother into the storyline.. ||-_-;||  
  
Spike: So?! I get to see my brother! Yay!   
  
Faye: Yeah but, he's going to try to-  
  
Strife21: -clamps Faye's mouth- Shhhh!!! You can't tell anyone!  
  
Faye: ||*_*|| -can't talk-  
  
Spike: What's he going to try to do??  
  
Strife21: ^_^; nothing.. just tell the people the next chapter is called, Two Cowboys and the basic D.I.D.  
  
Spike: The next chapter's called, Two Cowboys and the basic D.I.D.- now what's he going to do?!  
  
Faye: ||*_*|| -still can't talk-  
  
Strife21: You'll see ^_^;  
  
~laterz, cowboy...~  
================================================================  
short A/N: The whole dream sequence and that guy with Faye, I made up. Basically, the coldness part is when she's going into cyro-sleep; though she probably wasn't able to feel that when she was 'cause she was probably dead. The part in the ship is the time before Faye died a long time ago (I changed that a bit, but it still makes sense right?), anyways the guy will be an important part of this storyline and so will my made up memory/dream, so... no copying! ^_^ byez! 


	7. Two Cowboys and the basic D.I.D. part on...

A/N: I'm so sorry for the pain-staking wait (two months! o.o!), but I finally got off my lazy butt to write this. Oh yeah, everyone must thank LadyMercury for doing a wonderful job of summing up the "Cowboy Funk" episode, which I have only seen once.. So, one-two, THANK YOU LADYMERCURY FOR SUMMING UP THE EPISODE I'VE ONLY SEEN ONCE BUT I'M WRITING ABOUT!!!! 

Another note: Once again, this will be different from the original episode. I'm just telling you know so that you'd understand. 

Disclaimer: I haven't really put one of these out but, you all should know that I obviously don't own Cowboy Bebop, or else I wouldn't be making a **fan**fic, instead I'd actually make the actual animation of this little story ^_^. how I'd love to do that!   


**Chapter seven: Two Cowboys and the basic D.I.D. _Part one_**

Hazy eyes opened with an unclear vision; Faye groaned at the sight of a familiar man sitting at the edge of her bed, his bare back to her, "What now?" she grumbled. 

The man turned his head to her with a pleasant smile, "Howdy-doo-dee." Spike answered, "I just came by to ask you why you took so long taking a bath." 

Faye groaned and half-closed her eyelids as she kept her head on her pillow, "What time is it?" 

"Almost three in the morning." Spike smiled at Faye's angry reaction; she realized that she had only been asleep for two hours. 

"By the way," Spike turned his eyes to her right hand and pointed to it, "How'd you get that?" 

Faye looked at the object Spike pointed to and slowly slipped it under her pillow, "I had an accident in the bathroom. I slid and hit it over the edge of the tub." 

Spike raised a brow, "Oh.. and I suppose the red spots in your Redtail wasn't blood, and that the broken glass was just laying there and you have no clue why?" 

Frowning, Faye turned over from her side to her back and sighed, "Okay.. so I hit the damn warning light... by accident." she hoped that Spike wouldn't be able to catch the deceit in her words. 

Luckily, Spike just shrugged and reached for her hand. He carefully took it in his and looked over it, "So, are you okay now?" 

Letting him hold her hand, Faye inwardly blushed, "Yeah.." she replied in a small voice, "it isn't so bad now. It's healing." He didn't say anything after that, he just kept inspecting her hand. After a while, Faye sat up and looked at him in a scowl, "Wait a minute, why are you in my room at all? Who told you that you could come in?" 

His eyes transfixed with hers again, he gave a meek smile, "I couldn't sleep, so I came over to check on you." 

"How lovely." Faye sarcastically replied, "Since you have 'checked' on me, and already have woken me up, would you please go so I could get back to sleep?" 

"I was hoping," Spike gave a grin, "maybe I could sleep beside you again?" 

"Maybe, 'not'." Faye said hotly, "What's the reason, anyways?" 

Spike reached for his shoulder blade to scratch, "I don't know," he said softly, "in case you get a nightmare again? Or maybe because finally I'll fall asleep?" he shrugged and took hold of her right hand once more, "Please?" he begged with his best pleading voice and eyes. 

Faye moved away a bit at the sight of his pleads; she was a bit flustered, "I don't know... I don't think it would be such a good idea." 

"Why not?" Spike asked in sudden sadness, "I swear I won't make a big deal about it.. or try anything funny?" he pulled her bandaged right hand up to his cheek, pouted childishly. 

"Eh.. well.. I-I don't know!" Faye didn't know what to say; should she say, 'Yup, hop on in!' or 'Go back to your room now!'? 

Studying Spike's face, a realization suddenly dawned her; this guy cares. It shocked her, frightened her, made her uneasy; she'd never seen anyone else give her a look of sincerity like that, other than Whitney. It made her feel wanted, and needed. 

..But then again, Whitney wasn't such a gentleman afterall. So, what makes Spike so different? 

_His words..._   
_His eyes..._   
_Him... basically._

Taking an extremely long sigh, Faye nodded, "Fine... promise to try anything or boast about this... I'm warning you." 

With a grin, Spike scooted himself in Faye's blanket while she made space for him, "Warning taken noticed." he said as he laid down. 

Feeling Spike's leg brushing hers, Faye suddenly felt herself turn red, _This is ridiculous! What was I thinking?! _She stiffened and turned to her side, facing the wall; trying to crumple herself as close as possible. 

Yawning, Spike noticed his friend's uncomfortable position. Also turning to his side, facing the wall, he wrapped an arm around her waist. 

Faye gave a jolt, "You said nothing funny!" she spat to him. 

"It's not anything funny, Faye, you just seem too nervous, so I'm trying to get you to settle down." Spike answered nonchalantly. 

Faye felt the red burn her cheeks, "By touching me?!" 

"What's wrong?" Spike teased, "Can't handle a little 'skin-on-skin'?" he gave short laugh, "Come on, why can't I hold you? Just calm down." 

Taking in a short breath and long exhale, Faye pursed her lips, "You can keep the hand there, but that's it. No other place; no more hands." 

Spike chuckled and leaned to the crane of her neck, "Yes, ma'am." and closed his eyes. 

Faye couldn't be more red than the hue of red she was now. She was about to something about him placing his head on her neck to sleep, but felt the his warm breath softly pricking her flesh. _He already fell asleep? _Faye looked to her side slightly and found the man with his eyes closed and calmly breathing, _Man.. he wasn't kidding when he said he couldn't sleep._

Smiling a little, Faye left his head position where it was and laid hers down on the pillow. Her right hand in front of her, she placed her other hand on top of the one on her stomach. Patting his warm hand in a slow rhythm, like a silent lullaby, Faye closed her eyes and fell asleep. 

~ 

"Spike, where have you been?" Jet asked the man walking half-asleep towards the living room. 

Spike sat himself down on the nearby chair, "I've been sleeping, Jet, what do you think?" 

Jet gave a chuckle, "You were sleeping in Faye's room. I got curious." he gave him a cocky smile. 

Finding his friend's musings rather annoying, Spike reached for a cigarette, lit it, and took a breath, "You know Jet, you can be such a bastard." Jet only laughed 

"Anyways," Spike continued, "Where's the girl?" fully noticing that Meifa was not around. 

Jet scratched his head, "We're in Mars right now, we're docked at the usual place. She left a couple of minutes ago, not much else to say." 

Feeling a sad tone in his friend's voice, Spike nodded in agreement, "So.. why aren't we in space yet? Is she coming with us?" 

"Naw, I'm here to give you a bounty that's nearby." Jet's voice climbing up enthusiastically, "Some man that calls himself the 'Teddy Bommer'. Info says he sets bombs in tall buildings with some sort of prop." 

"Hm, let me guess his prop, it's a teddy bear?" Spike replied amused, "Mars is surely home to some of the weirdest people, you know." he stood up and smashed his half-finished cig into a glass ashtray on the table. 

"That's odd for you to be saying, Spike." Jet interjected (a/n: LOL!! it sounds weird.. 'jet inter**ject**ed' hehe..ok i'll shut up now), "Considering you were born here." 

Spike motioned his hand in the air, "I didn't say I wasn't one of them." He headed back to his room to put on his shirt. 

***** 

_'Where the hell's this guy at?' _Spike leaned against a metal bar nearby, watching vigil for a large man who may be dispersing a teddy plushie nearby. Jet had told him that his next attack would be near these towers, so that's why he was here. 

The towers were empty, except for a few men and women walking about with briefcases; none of them looked suspicious to Spike, and so he passed them on as workers. 

Finally, he spotted a large man carrying a teddy bear. Holding his cig in his hand, he smudged it on the metal bar he leaned on and watched the man carefully. 

He did look suspicious; his eyes were darting back and forth across the room, and he was sweating a great deal. He was dressed in a blue janitor uniform, his face half shadowed by his cap. With intent eyes, Spike watched as the man headed towards the escalator going down to the next floor. 

Following him with quiet steps, Spike looked around to see the whole floor clear, much to his fortune. Stalking down to the bearded man, he tapped him on the shoulder, "Excuse me, aren't you a little old for stuffed animals?" 

The bewildered man turned to him, shocked, "Oh uh.. I found it earlier. Someone must have left it somewhere." he quickly placed the brown teddy bear on the middle bar of the escalator, but before it could rise back up with the moving belt, Spike grabbed hold of it. 

"Hmm, it might be mine you know." he poked around the Velcro opening in the back and prodded it for a while before shrugging and placing it back on the belt, "Nah, it's not mine. Mine is colored differently." 

He heard the man give a nervous chuckle, and as they reached the bottom end of the escalator, Spike aimed his gun at the man as he stepped off, "Don't think I don't know who you are, Teddy Bommer?" 

The man grinned and turned around, his hands raised in the air, "Don't think I don't know you also, Spike Spiegel." he smirked and raised a small detonator in his hand, "You're pretty slow to catch on, aren't you? Didn't you know that stuffed animal had a bomb in it?" 

Spike gave a grin, "I did, that's why I'm telling you know that it isn't going to work when you press that button." he raised his hand to give the man a glimpse of what exactly he pulled out when he prodded the bear; the detonation pin. 

"What?!" the man bellowed, then furiously pressed the detonator. Nothing happened. He grumbled and pressed it over and over again, until Spike cocked the gun in between his eyes. 

"Let's go take a little visit to the police station shall we?" he took the disabled detonator from the man's hands and pushed him towards the exit of the building. Once they stepped out, the man began to laugh. 

"What the hell's so funny, old man?" Spike asked, not liking the old man's sudden action. 

The man's face lit, "There's more than one bomb, sonny!" he yelled, and at the same time, a large boom was heard from the mid-sections of the two large skyscrapers. Spike looked up in awe as clouds of smoke hovered around the middle areas. He turned to the man and shoved him to the floor. 

"You bastard. That's the last time you'll be able to do that!" 

--_whistling tune *dut-dut-dut-tuuuuut*--_

"Stop there!" a voice called from their side, and both Spike and the man looked up to see a young man on horseback. He was fully dressed as a original cowboy suit; the whole hat, boots, and saddle. As he neared, he gave a smirk down to the two men below him and pulled out a shotgun. 

"What the hell do you want?" Spike raged out, annoyed that someone was interrupting his catch. 

"You there, Teddy Bommer!" the man pointed his gun at Spike, "You're under arrest, under my arrest. Come with me quietly and no one will get hurt." 

"Huh?" Spike twisted his face hopelessly at the man, "I'm not Teddy Bommer! He is!" he pointed to the man who was supposedly on the floor in front of him, but was no longer there. Instead, the man had made a dash for it. 

"Dammit!" Spike cursed and started to chase after him when suddenly, he heard the horse give a whinny and his face met with the cement floor. Four sharp pains ached his back and he yelled out. He looked up to see the man on the horse chase after _his _bounty. 

"You stupid ass!! I'm going to get you for this!!!" Spike strained to shout, his back marked only with four horse shoe-shaped swells. 

***** 

"So this guy comes in, on horse and hat, and he thinks I'm that psycho bomber!" Spike clenched his teeth as he sat, shirtless, his back facing the audience he was talking to. 

"I don't blame him." Faye drawled, placing two hands behind her head, and laying back on the couch. 

"Spike, can't you just say that you couldn't get this guy because.. well... because you couldn't?" Jet stated, not believing Spike's story at all. 

Grumbling, Spike pointed an angry finger to the marks on his back, "If there wasn't a horse and some ass who tried to rob my bounty, then why are there hoof marks on my back?!" 

Faye shrugged, "For all we know, you could have tripped on your lanky legs and fell in the middle of a dirt path, when suddenly a horse sped by." 

Spike turned around to face her, scowling angrily, "Haha, this is all very funny to you isn't it? I'm not lying dammit, this guy was real. He came out of nowhere just when I was about to turn the bounty in, on his damn horse, and thought I was Teddy Bommer! That's when the real Teddy Bommer got away, and that damn cowboy rode his damn horse all over me!" 

Jet and Faye both looked at him indifferently. 

"You know that excuse is getting really tiring." Jet added, "Besides, how do we even know you're talking real? I mean, you don't know this guy's name or where he came from, and we haven't found a single thing that fits your description on the computer yet." 

Spike opened his mouth to retort, when suddenly Ed began to squeal. 

"Man on horse! Man on horse! His name is Andy, of course-of course!!" she yelled and held her tomato (her computer) on top of her head for the whole room to see. 

"Ha!" Spike boasted and stood up to point at the profile picture in the computer screen, "I told you he was real!" 

Faye leaned closer to the screen to take a good look, "Andy, huh? He's kind of cute." 

"What?" Spike intervened and eyed her oddly. 

Jet came around and pushed his way behind Faye to also take a good look at the screen, "So Ed, what's the deal with this guy?" 

"Andy-cowboy was a member of the YMCA." Ed lulled. 

"He's a christian?" Spike asked in wonder. 

"No! The Young Men's Cowboy Association!" Ed laughed, "But he was kicked out soon afterwards." 

"What's for Ed?" Jet asked as he hovered above the young girl. 

"For being a nuisance!" Ed giggled. 

Faye stood up straight and crossed her eyes to Spike, "Sounds oddly like someone I know." 

Spike shot Faye an angry glance, "Shut up." he grumbled and turned to Jet, "So what are we supposed to do now?" 

Jet shrugged, "Well, since we're still here, and that Teddy Bomber guy is also, we might as well go off to find him again. I heard his next location is at that big hotel who's hosting a masquerade party." 

Faye rolled her eyes wearily, "Great.." she mumbled and headed to her room to change. 

"Hmph! Let's go!" Spike said enthusiastically and stomped to his own room to change. 

Jet sat down and grabbed hold of the black wig, Ein had on and placed it on top of his head. He eyed the round sunglasses that sat on the table before picking it up and placing them on, "How do I look, Ed?" 

Ed turned around from her computer screen and laughed, "Jet-person looks like a hippie! Jet-person can be a hippie!" 

"Huh?" Jet cocked an eye, "What the hell's that?" 

Instead of answering him, Ed stood up and danced around, "Ed wants to go!! Ed wants to go!!" 

"No!" 

***** 

"Any minute now..." Spike mumbled through the cold plastic mask he wore. It wasn't much of a costume, but it was doing fine for him so far. 

"You keep saying that." Faye hissed from his side, irritated by his constant mutterings, "Will you just be quiet until he actually pops into sight?" Her costume was more detailed. A portrayal of a woman from the early west, with a mask that only hid her eyes. Faye sat uncomfortably at the edge of the stool seat, her light lavender dress flowed all around her. She grumbled in frustration as she once again, reached down to pull up an annoying flare on the tip of her dress. 

Spike turned to her, seeing her boil in fury at herself underneath the pile of clothes she had wore. He had to admit, that early southwestern look she had on fitted her perfectly well. He smiled at her casually, showing every inch of his front teeth, "Don't get too tight in your purple panties now. It happens to be very unlady-like." 

Faye's brow furrowed, "At least I had look like I'm actually wearing a _real _costume. Not like you." she stood up from her seat and looked at him from the front, "All I'm getting from this is: 'I'm a man with putrid taste and is only good enough to wear _a _mask--or--I'm a man with a horrible description that I only need one mask to add to the costume I wear every day to make me look either weirdishly stunning or really creepy.'" 

"Which one do I look the most? The cool guy with one mask, or the man who's either stunning or creepy?" Spike replied sharply, expecting to catch her. Unfortunately for him, Faye sighed and crossed her hands to him as she spoke; this could only mean she already knew and didn't have to think twice about her answer. 

"The second; ending with the word creepy." Faye retorted as she sat back down and took a drink from a waiter passing by. 

Spike leaned back into his bar stool and rested his elbows at the wooden bar table, "Yeah right. I'm _deliciously _stunning, and you know it." 

Faye placed her drink down sharply and turned her head the other way from Spike, "Sure you are, cowboy. I could never take you away from your dreams, so why do I bother trying to deny it." 

"Oh come on, Faye." Spike held his hands up, to her, "I don't think you look bad in your costume. In fact, I wish you'd wear something like that every day." 

Hearing, Faye turned to him displeasingly, "What?" she asked dully, "Me? Wearing this 'country' dress when I'm supposed to be a bounty hunter?" 

Spike nodded, "Why not, you look good in it. You have can be fashion conscious when you're a bounty hunter." 

A hint of red creeped itself on her cheeks, and Faye glowered to the man that made her do so, "You've got to be crazy. 'Fashion conscious'? Please." 

Chuckling, Spike draped an arm over her shoulders, "Come on, Faye. I was only playing.. you didn't look like you're having much fun." 

Facing anywhere but at Spike, Faye's lifted her red face up and snorted, "Like any of this is supposed to be fun." 

Smiling at his friend's obvious reactions, Spike raised a brow and gave a smirk at her that only meant that he's about to do something really stupid. 

"So.." Spike started, his voice lifting over the crowd conversations, "How was last night for you?" 

Faye turned to him wide eyed and furious; the room became suddenly quiet and all eyes turned to them. 

Spike looked around and face faulted at the sight of Faye's infuriated face in front of him. He could tell she was **really **mad now, her breathing was suddenly ragged and short. And her eyes looked as if it was trying to burn holes through him. 

But to his surprise, Faye calmed herself down and waved a hand in front of her, "It was quite fun, we should do that more often." she replied coolly. 

There was a soft laughter from the crowd, and they began to continue to mind their own. 

Spike slumped back as Faye lunged a hand on his collar once the crowd's eyes turned away, "I swear I will kill you." Faye gritted her teeth. Spike knew he had gone to far, but he was too confident that he just decided to make it up later. Really, he was only teasing her. And really, he hadn't really meant the question to be so.. blunt as it sounded. 

He gave a nod to her, and with a huff, she let him go and grabbed hold of the front of her dress, and walked off to the ladies room. 

Seeing her dress slightly lift itself above her calves, Spike turned his head to the right as he eyed something underneath it all. 

"Hey, you're wearing pink, not purple!" he shouted her, knowing it would only piss her off more... oh well. 

"Fuck you!" Faye shouted back, and waved a not-so-familiar finger at him. 

"Hey, if you two are finished making a scene, Spike. I just want to inform you that our little buddy made it." Spike suddenly received from the earpiece covering his right ear. 

"Where's he at, Jet?" Spike asked softly, so that no one else in the room would hear him. 

"I'm approaching him now.. go and find me." 

"Yeah.." Spike stood from his stool and looked across the room, "But where are you at, exactly?" 

"I'm near the bathrooms." Jet said through the earpiece. 

"Alright, I'm coming." Spike answered and made his way through the crowd. 

***** 

Jet, in his 'cool' hippie costume of a 'Peace' shirt, sunglasses, and long-haired wig, casually went up to a man wearing an extremely large teddy bear costume. 

"Hey my brother! You gotta have love and peace." he drawled, his voice sounding very calm and laid back. 

The man in the teddy suit eyed him oddly, "What the-?" he stopped midway as he saw a familiar figure stand beside the man he who had stopped his walking. 

The man removed his mask and smirked at him, "Hey there, didn't think I was coming back now did you?" 

(a/n: I'll call the guy Teddy ^^;)   
Teddy hurled backwards, almost falling to the floor in surprise, "Gah! It's you!" he pointed a finger to Spike angrily, "Are you following me around?! How did you know it was me?!" 

"Hey my man, we just came for some dough, ya know what I'm saying?" Jet said, waving a peace sign with one hand and a hand held computer tracker with the other. 

Spike smirked, "Besides, walking around with that suit; it's pretty obvious it's you." 

"Gah!!" Teddy yelled out again, and turned around to run when suddenly... 

--_whistling *dut-duuuuut.. da-da-da duuuut*--_

Remembering the tune before, Spike looked around, knowing what exactly is about to come out. 

In a distance, everyone's ears perked towards the elevator doors once they heard a whinny of a horse. Then the elevator doors slide open, revealing a man in a white cowboy suit and horse. 

"There he is! Andy!" Spike shouted angrily. 

Jet eyed the man on the horse, slowly advancing towards him, in awe, "Wow, you weren't kidding about a cowboy on a horse were you?" 

Everyone stood still and watched the scene unfolding before them. 

As the Andy made his way towards them, Teddy fell to his side, afraid that he was going to be captured. 

But Andy, turning to Jet, cocked a revolver at him, "Teddy Bommer, come with me now." 

"Huh?" Jet asked confusedly. 

Andy cocked an eye and pointed another revolver, this time to Spike, "Or.. was it you?" 

Flames glinted in Spike's eyes as he stepped up with his fist in front of him, "What?! I met you yesterday! I said I wasn't Teddy Bommer!" 

"Yesterday, huh?" Andy scratched the side of his head with one hand, then gave a shrug, "Nope, I don't recall." 

"Just what kind of idiot are you?!" Spike shouted, his nostrils flaring with annoyance and spite. 

As Andy was about to retort something back, his head moved to the side when the ladies door opened, and brought in a beautiful woman in lavender. 

Faye huffed out as she walked, not paying any attention to what was in front of her, until she heard Spike say something. Looking up, she noticed a tall man on a horse, that only made him seem more taller that he already was. He was giving her a winsome grin, and he tipped his hat to her. 

"Hello there, ma'am." he greeted, winking a secretive eye to her. 

"Hello Andy." she greeted back, one brow overlooking him skeptically. 

Andy jumped down from his saddle gracefully, trying to give some sort of impression, that wasn't working for Faye. But he didn't know this, so he kept his gait, "Ah, you've heard of me already?" he fixed his cowboy hat, "Ma'am, you are by far the most beautiful creature to ever grace this planet..." he gave a grin and pointed a thumb at him, "Second from me." he boasted. 

Faye would have been flattered. If only he didn't add that last part, "Uh-huh, right." she said quietly. Her hand was taken softly from her side, and brought up for a gentle kiss. 

Andy left a brief kiss on the back of her hand and stood back up, "I would like to know if a fine creature such as yourself, would be interested to join such an amazingly-beautiful creature, such as myself, for a dinner date at my yacht?" 

Faye took her hand back to her side, "A yacht, hm? I dunno.. maybe." 

Spike wasn't liking this at all. Seeing Andy trying to flirt with Faye was truly pissing him off. His fist shaking in front of him, Spike let out a growl, picked up a round black tray that had fallen on the floor, and aimed it for Andy's head, nailing him right on the back of his neck. 

Andy yelled out in pain, and turned around to face him, "What's your problem!" 

"Leave Faye alone, dammit! You're battle's with me!" Spike spat out, stomping his way over to them. 

Andy looked up to the ceiling in thought, then went back to looking at Faye up and down, "So you're Faye? A perfect name for such a perfect creature.. 

--Once again, Faye would have been flattered if he didn't add..-- 

"...other than me." he grinned at her, puffing out his chest as if he was some kind of male penguin trying to win a mate. 

Faye waved at him, a sorry look in her eyes; she saw Spike behind him, readying himself to sock Andy. 

Andy felt a light tap on his shoulders, and as he slowly turned around to face whoever it was, he was welcomed with a blow in between his nose. He stuttered back, not falling at all, and groaned as he felt his nose start to bleed. 

Spike looked at the man who had just withstood his punch, getting even more angry. 

"You little bastard!" Andy cried out, as his nose kept its bleeding. 

Faye gazed at Andy wide-eyed, "Whoa.. you could actually stand one of Spike's punches?" 

Finding that his action had actually impressed someone, Andy puffed his chest out again, "Well yes, of course. Coming from a little guy like that, that's all I expected you see." 

"Who the hell are you calling ' little guy'?!" Spike furiously stood up in front of his face, threateningly raising another fist at him. 

"Who the hell do you think?!" Andy asked back, furious and annoyed at almost about the same level as Spike. 

--"Shut the hell up, or I'll--" 

--"You shut the hell up--" 

"BOTH OF YOU, SHUT THE HELL UP!" Teddy screamed out loud, getting the attention of the two cowboys, including everyone else, "I not only hate you two, damn bounty hunters, but I also hate people who ignore me!!!" he snaked his way behind Faye, and before she could do a thing, or anyone could do a thing, he covered her mouth with a cloth and within a second, she fell limp in his arms. 

"Faye!" Spike shouted and tried to advance, when Teddy moved his sleeve up and showed him four or five sets of detonators. Spike suddenly stopped in his place, and eyed the detonators cautiously. 

"Now, now!" Teddy warned, backing up to the elevators slowly, "You be a good boy and stay still, or else this whole place, even your little _girlfriend_ here, will all go 'BOOM'. Hehe." 

".... Girlfriend?" Andy asked bemused, and turned to Spike, his eyes flashing mad. He grabbed his shoulders and shook him, "She's your girlfriend?!" 

Spike pushed him away, "NO! What the hell are you doing?! We have to stop him now!" he demanded to him as soon as Teddy slipped into an elevator and began to descend down. 

Mounting his horse (a/n again: just wanted to say that.. LoL, it's sounds so queer! ok.. sorry for that -again-), Andy turned around briskly and made his way to the other elevator to chase him down. Just as he did, two explosions went off in the room, and people began to frantically try to get into an elevator themselves. 

Spike, seeing that he might get stuck in the crowd, just as Jet was getting himself to, ran to the stairwell exit and began to make his way down the stairs. 

Meanwhile, Teddy Bommer reached the garage area, and found his car. He placed the conscious woman in the back seat, while he hopped in and dashed out. 

Teddy heard a low 'ding' of a bell behind him. Looking up on his rear view mirror, he spotted Andy high-tailing him with his horse, "Gah! Not you again!" he cried out and floored it through the streets. 

He looked up to find that he was indeed farther away from the man on the horse, a loud explosion to his side made him almost swerve out of control. He looked up in terror as a large, red zip craft followed him. 

"Shit!" he cursed out and started to curve around the streets as Spike fired at him at each side. 

Andy, noticing that Spike was trying to be the hero, cocked a revolver at his ship and fired. 

His ship rumbling from a sudden blow from below, Spike looked down finding out who exactly did it, "Dammit, Andy! What are you doing?!" 

"Let a real cowboy handle this, space boy!" Andy shouted up at him. 

Slowing down and aiming his machine gun at Andy, he fired a couple of shots, enough to make him fall off his horse in fright, "Take that you little prick!" 

Looking back up, Spike couldn't spot the Teddy's car any longer, "Oh shit, Faye!" he groaned and continued to search for the car. 

Winding through the whole city, he still couldn't find any sign of Faye, Teddy's car, or Teddy in his stupid-ass teddy bear suit. 

After a couple of hours with no luck, he grumbled out of frustration and made his way back to the Bebop, carrying a heavy guilt with him with reasons he couldn't explain. 

~review pleaze~ 

On the next chapter:   
********************************   
**Andy: Howdy, ya'll. `'`^o^'`**

**Spike: `'`>_>'` What the hell is he doing here?**

**Strife21: What's wrong with having him here? Isn't he your brother?**

**Spike: No! I've been lied to! The internet lies! `'`O.O'`**

**Strife21: .. well duh.. everyone knows that...**

**Spike: `'`T.T'` My poor Faye.. where is she?!**

**Andy: `'`ë.ë'` Ah.. the beautiful Faye, who's second best to me.**

**Spike: `'`>.'` Shut up!**

**Strife21: If you wanna know where Faye is, hurry up and introduce the next chapter so I could start working on it!**

**Spike: `'`;_;'` .. no.. Andy.. you go ahead and do it.. I'm too-I'm too.. ::bawls::**

**Strife21: ¬_¬ man.. whatever!**

**Andy: `'`*_*'` Ha! The beginning of my stardom! Hehe, don't mind if I do.. -ahem- The next episode will contain humor, love, and sexy 'ol me! Two Cowboy and the basic D.I.D Part two!**

**Spike: `'`;_;'` That old man better not try anything on Faye.. -sniff-**

**Strife21: è_ê.. Aw shut up already! I'll get working on it as soon as possible so that you'd stop your whining already!**

**Spike: `'`O.o'` Hey! At least I'm not the one who got hooked on Harry Potter fics!**

**Strife21: O.O;; .. so? And it's not really the Harry Potter fics! Only the Draco/Hermione shippings! ...x.x I can't help it.. J.K. Rowling's writing pulled me in it's grasp!**

**Andy: Like weed.**

**Spike: .. like 'what'?**

**Strife21: o.O? How do you know this?**

**Andy: _->_>; ::looks around nervously:: Eh... Hey! Have you guys tried my Son of a Gun stew?**

**Strife21: Yah, it sucks, now tell me! O.o What are you, spying on me?!**

**Andy: What?! What do you mean spying?!**

**Strife21: How do you know I'm doing weed?! O.O!**

**Andy: `'`^_^;'` Oh.. _you're _doing weed.. oh.. hehe.**

**Spike: `'`X.x'` I'm being left behind again, so I'm ending this right now!**

**Strife21::busy interrogating Andy:: Where'd you come from?! You're with the cops, aren't you?! You're all against me!! No wait! O.O! My mom put you against me didn't she?!**

**Andy: Uh.. `'`^_^;'` ..yeah.. that's it, your mom..**

**~laterz, cowboy...~**   


* * *

  
Little note:: I'm glad to be back, and so happy that my muse came back! ^_^ Oh yeah.. the whole weed and me thing.. just wanted to tell you that it was only used for a funny skit.. so 'ha-ha'.. yeah.. 'cause you know.. Drugs are *cough* bad. Erhm-kay! Luv you all, and continue reading please! 


	8. Two Cowboys and the basic D.I.D. part tw...

A/N: Alright, demands are high so I must work my butt off on this! Thanks for the patience all you guys, sorry about all the slowness in updating. I've been pretty busy lately and I can't seem to get enough inspiration on this. I'll apologize right now too, 'cause I think it's getting more lame x.x;. 

**Anyways, to the reader who emailed me and asked me to do a remake of the episode "Mushroom Samba", I think I may but it will have nothing to do with this story.. so it'll just be a out-of-the-series-segment. ^.^ Thanks for the idea.**   
  


**WARNING::Shameless self promoting::**   
If you already don't know, I have made a new fic that's also Cowboy Bebop called "Still sitting pretty with a pistol in hand" and I just want to ask you to please reaaaaaaad it? ^_^; My summary sucks, but I swear to the holy one that it is very good!   
Here's a better summary of it: After the Spike fought with Vicious, Spike ended up living from the whole scene and coming out as the new Syndicate leader; forgetting his life on the Bebop. Meanwhile, Faye runs from her life in search of a more fitting one, designed so that she was reborn as someone else who had no past. Six years later, Faye makes her moves and gets a bounty price on her head. After Spike sees her bounty, he fetches the rest of the Bebop crew in hopes to find the answers to their question; Why is Faye hiding from them, but then again, why did she get herself a bounty on her head for what seems like on purpose?   
Suspenseful? It is!! Plus the pairing is between Spike/Faye and Faye/someone else that I can't say right now or it'll give it away ^^; So read it purty please, and I'll give you much praise and obsession! ^_^ lol thanks!   
  


**Two Cowboys and the basic D.I.D _Part two_**   


He was angry at himself. Doing almost everything there is painful to himself in his mind. He had let her be captured, by a crazy man who plays with bombs no less. He couldn't take it, as he cursed out loud and slammed the his hand on his leg for the umpteenth time. With no clue to what kind of danger she was in, or if she wasn't abused in any way, Spike frustrated his anger, and deep within, he wondered why he had cared so much. 

He wasn't like this to her a month ago, when she had ran to Jupiter where the whole population was men. Why was that? Then it occurred to him that it was because it was hinted that Julia was around the area. That had blocked out any care for Faye's health in a split second. 

Now look at him, as he fought with himself inside. He was ripe and bursting with fury; looking almost very mental cased. And still, feeling overly guilty, he asked himself why. 

Spike suddenly raised the thought, and he couldn't deny that maybe he _did _have some.. attraction. After the burning and too close of a kiss at that French shop, the sweet scene of her falling asleep drunk on his shoulder, the closeness with her at the night of her fever induced nightmare, the secret kiss he planted upon her peaceful and resting face, and the comfort of her hand the other night as she hummed him to sleep--all the events kept in his 'favor' spot in his brain. How it was even possible to have it place there was another mystery in the wait. 

Faye was a wildcat, a woman who was a little high maintenance, a little overzealous and snappy, a pandora's box, and has a habit of losing extremely large amounts of money by gambling. Yet she's sexy, beautiful, alluring, mysterious, brave, surprising, and overall her characteristic can be quite attaching. A woman with an unusual personality such as hers was something Spike found very rare and very appealing. 

Julia was never like Faye. Julia was always proper, gentle, and sometimes can be a little boring. She wasn't the type to 'dance-in-the-middle-of-a-hurricane', she was more like, 'I wouldn't because I'd catch a cold'. As far as the beauty, Julia was maybe a little more beautiful, but Spike wasn't really in it with loving her because of her beauty. Julia was his pedestal during his term with the Syndicate. 

Then that day when she had lied to him, broken their trust, and ran away, Spike didn't have a real pedestal for awhile, until he came to the Bebop.   


Zooming over the sea, spotting their usual spot where they dock the Bebop, Spike hurriedly landed on the ships dock; his thoughts still in its midst of understanding.   


So, Faye was a hard woman, but interested him the most. As for Julia; she was his first true love but the memories of happy times with her were now dim. 

Faye was with him--life became almost worth-while--he began to enjoy life around him--and she was still there with her contradicting personality, which drove him more towards finding interest on who she really was. 

Julia was gone--haven't heard directly from her for 3 years--his once deep love blinking tiredly--and she continued to keep him in the verge of confusion and frustration.   


Stepping out of the dock and onto the Bebop's, Spike entered through the hanger doors with a weary face, faced down, and mumbling words that flew out from his mind when a noise caught his attention to an animal standing three feet away from his left. 

His eye twitched once at the sight, before he grumbled loudly and ran in the Bebop. 

~ 

The whole room jumped, as Spike stormed in with eyes darting wildly before setting themselves acidly to another tall, lanky man in the room. 

"What is he doing here?!" Spike burst out, pointing a finger at the man on the couch, who looked back at him with smirk. 

Tipping his hat once, Andy stood up and walked in front of Spike's face, "Hello there, space boy. So where's Faye? Don't tell me you didn't save her. Tch.. I knew you couldn't." he rambled straightly, not waiting for Spike's incoming replies. 

Spike's nose flared, "Yeah, no thanks to you, you ass!" 

"No thanks to me? You're the one shooting at the damn car with that machine of yours." Andy spat back, "You could have shot the gas tank, and the car could've blown up!" he clapped his hands together and pretend to wipe an invisible tear from his eye, "And poor Faye would have burned in that tight-hipped dress that she wore." 

Spike hiked up his left sleeve and slit his eyes, "I wouldn't have! Besides, what were you going to do?! Try to out run it with that donkey of yours?!" 

Andy opened his mouth, appalled, and balled a fist in front of him, "Don't you give Onyx any disrespect! Onyx is a fine horse, much more relevant that your damn craft!" 

"Relevant my ass! One shot from _my _Swordfish II on your donkey, and BOOM! you'll have to go to the kiddie-corals for a new one!" Spike bemused, giving his most triumphant smirk. 

"You wanna go?!" Andy threatened, shoving his face right in front of Spike. He lifted a finger and pointed it to Spike's chest mockingly, "You think you can take me on; you've got to be kidding. I could beat the be-jesus out of you in one move. You'll be kissing the floor in no-time." 

Without warning, Spike threw a punch at Andy's face, knocking him to the floor. Stepping over him, Spike diverted his gaze over to Jet who sat still the whole time, stacking a bunch of triangular cans into a box. 

"Jet, what the hell is this ass doing here?" Spike gritted through his teeth as he pointed over to the other cowboy who was now sitting on the floor holding his nose in pain. 

Jet shrugged carelessly and held up one of the triangular cans, "He traded a whole bunch of food for getting to stay here and help get Faye back." 

Spike sputtered in disbelief. He frantically began to wave his hands around his side in agitation, "Jet?! Are you nuts?! The guy is poseur, not to mention a big asshole!" 

"That's not the point... we need the food. And like it or not, we do need his help to get Faye and that bomber." Jet raised an eyebrow at the fumed Spike, and watched as the man's face contort slightly. 

Meanwhile, Andy had already stood back up and was now more interested as what the _lovely_ Faye's role was in the ship. Rubbing his nose, he glanced over to Jet, "So, Ms. Faye... does she stay here with all of you?" 

"Yeah." Jet answered truthfully. 

"Does this beautiful Faye have a last name?" Andy began to question. 

"Shut up!" Spike had swirled around to him once more, looking very much agitated than before. 

Andy glared at the man and pursed his lips at him, "What's your problem? I'm only getting information that I might need in order to get her back you know!" 

"Who said you're getting her back?" Spike returned his glare, then thought a while about what Andy had replied him with, "And you don't need her last name to get her back!" 

Getting annoyed of the little fight between the two, Jet blurted out Faye's last name in hopes of getting them to stop. 

"Valentine." 

Andy's eyes quickly turned to Jet, and started to (what it looked like) sparkle dreamily, "Faye Valentine... even her name features a goddess unique." 

At that Jet began to laugh, while Spike gazed at the man pathetically. 

"Faye? A goddess?" Spike mocked, showing a great disagreement in his tone. 

Andy peered at his rival sneeringly, "Yes, a goddess. If you can't see that, then obviously you take beautiful creatures, such as her, for granted." 

Spike crossed his arms across his chest and eyed the man as if he was a fool, "Faye isn't anywhere near goddess material. I should know because I put up with her everyday." he felt a small tug in his throat, the little mental gesture for his mind to tell him to stop while he was ahead. Talking about Faye like she was some annoying little thing (not that she was sometimes), that he didn't like to be around with, was a lie deep within. 

But being the kind of arrogant guy he was, Spike managed to brush it off and continued, "You should see her eat up all the food in the ship, take all the hot water, and bicker on and on." 

"Considering she lives in a run-down place like this, and with people like you around, I would have to guess she really had no choice to in order to survive." Andy backed up, also crossing his arms in front him. 

Jet had managed to catch the little insight about his ship and stood up also, "You want to stay here, you better not call this place run-down, rich boy, or I'll kick you out." 

Andy scratched the back of his head and swallowed a sudden lump in his throat from looking at the gruff man eyeing him, "Uh.. no offense.. it's a fine ship." 

Jet grumbled and made his way to the kitchen as so he wouldn't get into the fight that he knew, by how Spike's glaring, would about to occur. 

Spike, who was now ready to strangle Andy to death from his annoying comebacks, continued to name down all the things Faye did that was more crude than normal. And Andy, who was more willing to learn about Faye, only stood and listened, and often backed up some of the bad things he said about her. 

"You know, I can't imagine why you would say such things. **You **are the asshole here and I can't believe you don't know that." Andy interrupted Spike's little confession about Faye, and looked at him skeptically. 

Halting his speech, Spike venomously stared back at the him, "What?" 

"You are an asshole." Andy repeated, "You talk about that woman as if that is all she is. I'm surprised to find her still staying with the likes of you, when all you notice from her is all the negative actions she has ever done. I mean, what kind of comrade are you? What I'm wondering the most is that, how come she hasn't left this place yet? Maybe she has more feeling as to what this place really meant to her other than a place to stay. I'm sure that's the only reason how she can manage to stand being around you." 

For once, Spike didn't have any words to speak back. It was a little odd how Andy's words hit so close to home, and how scary it was that he spoke a fact. 

"Now that I find out that she puts up with this kind of thing everyday, and even behind her back, I greatly respect that woman more. To you she is just some sort of drama queen around the ship; to me she is a beautiful goddess. All women are." Andy haughtily turned around to walk towards the hanger, "And I didn't need to know her that long to find that out. All I needed was for you to speak about her. Tch.. and you call yourself a cowboy?" 

Spike watched in silence as his rival disappeared in the corridor. As much as he hated to admit it, Andy was right. He felt the tugging in his throat stop, and was now replaced by a slight churning in his stomach. 

~   
"I hate that man, Jet. I hate him because he's right." 

"What's he right about?" 

"--And you know, you're right too. But I don't hate you." 

"What are you spewing about?" 

"--Is it my fault I act like that? I mean, I'm only trying to act like the exact 'Spike' everyone knows me by." 

"Okay, what the hell?" Jet whirled a curious eye to his friend's face, letting it known that he couldn't follow him. 

Spike was getting his Swordfish II ready for another flight as he spoke. Cocking his head to the man who's coo-ing his horse several feet away from him, he gave a low grumble before answering Jet, "He basically says I treat Faye like shit." 

Jet thought over for a minute on what his friend's point was, "Yeah...?" 

Turning his head to Jet, Spike's eyebrows rose, "Yeah what?" 

"Yeah, you do." Jet cleared as he began to load bags of guns and ammunition into his Hammerhead. "You treat Faye like shit most of the time." 

Spike's eyebrows were now knitted down to the top of his eyes, "I do not!" 

Jet looked at at his friend with skeptic, and with a mocking tone, began to prove his point, "_Faye! You're always screwing up our bounties! Faye! You're always using up all the hot water! Faye! Why don't you bring home the food for once! Faye! Why don't you--blah blah!'. _Need I say more?" 

"Wait, that's not treating her like shit! That's trying to get her to act reasonable because she's usually so damn bit-" 

Jet gave a low 'ahem'. 

"...-chy..." 

Raising eyes to him and grinning like a little show-off, Jet nodded his head, "Like shit, Spike, like shit. No matter how much you deny it, there wasn't a day when you have to make fun of her or bring her down." Jet rested the last bag of ammunition into his cargo and began to get in his ship. Before sitting down, he looked over to Spike again, finishing what he left out, "Even when you confessed to like her, you still haven't really proved that all this little emotion of yours is real. Sure you helped her, stayed with her, and actually get along with her alone. But when you're around others... I dunno Spike, it really doesn't look like you care. Usually you just show off how much you can make her mad around people." 

Spike couldn't believe what his friend just told him, and finding that he was the guilty one of all this, he began to grow a temper, "Well what about you Jet? I don't see you acting like you care for her either." 

Jet sighed and plopped down on his seat, "You don't see me treating her like shit either. I let her stay, I don't ask her for much, I advise her to stay." Riveting up his engine, Jet leaned over the edge of his window to advise Spike of one more fact. 

"Besides.. I'm not the one in _love _with her, Spike." 

~   
The slight throbbing pain entered her brain and in an instant she woke, only to find herself tied on a cement pole on top of a tall building. She could feel herself sweaty and sticky, and looking down she found herself in a large, brown, cotton suit that covered her up to her neck, arms and legs and all. 

Trying to think straight, figuring out how she got in this mess, she immediately noticed a big teddy bear mask on the floor in front of her. 

She grumbled at her situation and at the same time her eyebrow twitched, "Oh shit.." 

Suddenly, the man she knew would be around, appeared from the shadows with a smirk on his face and about 10 wrist watches on his arms. 

"Well, well, the lovely lady has awoken from her beautiful sleep." he let out a maniacal laugh, "Oh yes, I hope you didn't mind wearing your new costume." 

"Yeah, thanks." Faye let out sarcastically, squirming her bounded limbs; frantically trying to loosen the rope around them. 

Teddy hopped towards her and lightly touched her nose, "Hey now, you'll never be able to get free. You see, if you look down on your stomach you'll see a very nice surprise in case you ever do." he grinned like a kid before shifting his eyes to her stomach. 

As Faye followed his gaze, she gasped out as she saw what seemed like a C4 pack tied around with duck tape around the stomach area of her teddy bear costume, "You sick bastard!. I swear I'll fu-" 

Interrupting her, Teddy stuck a good piece of duck tape around her mouth to cover up her annoying shouts, "No one leaves before your little _boyfriends _get here. No one will go _boom! _until they're here, alright?" he gave another laugh and merrily skipped to the laptop a few feet across from him, "Now we'll just contact them and let them know where we are and..." he turned to the gagged Faye and looked at her curiously, "Do you think we should make up some dramatic scene? Make them more angry? Hmm.. any ideas?" 

'_Fucker..._' Faye commented in her mind as she stood still, refusing to interact with her kidnapper. 

"Okay! Let's say I beat....you....up," Teddy read out while he typed up his letter, "mercilessly.... and.... you... are... bleeding.." he began to enjoy the ideas that flared in his mind of ways to intimidate the two cowboys who ignored him, all the while Faye rolled her eyes, "Heh, and if they can't get here in time... I'll just kill ya'!" with that, he quickly clicked on the button 'Send'. 

Standing up and dancing around, Teddy chuckled as he picked up the teddy bear mask and came in front of Faye, "Okay girlie; to complete your costume!" he then plopped the teddy bear mask on her head, ignoring her grunts and groans from behind the duck tape around her mouth. 

He stood back a good three feet, viewing the odd view of a teddy bear tied to a pole, grunting, "Oh I am such a genius!" he replied thickly . 

The trapped Faye under the mask was now limited to what she can see. It was all dark inside except for the two little eye holes in front of her that helped her view what was outside. Though the mask was a fair distance from her face, she couldn't help but feel that they were starting to get closer to her until finally she felt that they were only half an inch from her eyes. She knew she was going to start getting claustrophobic and her brain would soon go to panic mode, so to block out the illusion of the walls of the mask going closer to her, she shut her eyes tight. 

'_Somebody get me out of here!_' 

~   
Ed watched from the catwalk of the hanger as the men below her were fixing their crafts with the exception of the 'Land Cowboy' and his horse. Clicking away for any clues as to where Faye was, it wasn't soon after that the Bebop received an anonymous email. 

"Oooh... Bebop Mail.." Ed squealed softly and with one button, opened the email to the front of the screen. Reading it slowly, Ed let out a yell, which instantly brought the attention of the three men below, "Faye-Faye!!" 

Spike's worried voice was the first to speak, "What? Ed what's going on?!" 

Ed in a very dangerous mode of panic, had grabbed her 'Tomato' and began to run back and forth on the catwalk, "Bad man email!! Bad man email!!" she stopped as soon as Jet yelled for her. Facing the men down below, she thrashed her computer above her head, "Bad man emailed Bebop! Bad man hurt Faye-Faye!!" she began to sway glumly side-to-side, "Bad man is going to kill Faye-Faye!" she mourned. 

Without one more word, the two cowboys in the room took a quick glance at each other; a quick glance with the time expandicy enough to declare a challenge. And within seconds, the two raced to their craft (or animal for Andy's sake) and headed off. 

While Jet, scratched his bald top thinking of what fools the two cowboys were and how they had so much in common as the small information they so badly need quickly passed their minds. 

"Ed.." Jet sighed pathetically, "Tell me where Teddy's at before those two morons come back blaming each other." 

Ed gave a big sniff, "Jet-person, promise Ed that Faye-Faye will come back?" 

Looking up to the girl on the catwalk, he gave a sincere smile, "Don't worry, either I will or the other two will. She'll be ok." 

Nodding, Ed checked back at the email as to where Faye's kidnapper held her hostage, "Bad man only says 'Two Towers where the two idiots met him'." 

Jet quickly got in his ship with the information, and started off to find the two cowboys, "Thanks Ed." he called back to the girl and left the docked Bebop. 

~   
"Okay pretty girl, your little boyfriends will be here soon enough." Teddy pranced around his victim, detonators held up high in the air above him, "Ha-ha! You think those pathetic morons can get past _this _act. Ha! No way!" 

Faye, who quietly listened to the annoying bounty laugh about his not-that-impressive plan, only gave a soft grunt under the teddy bear mask. 

Teddy began to walk towards the edge of the tall tower's roof, and peered below catching only civilians of the building walking about the streets; no horses, no space crafts, no guys with afros. 

Noticing the missing admitance of his main subjects, he grumble irritatingly as he let out his frustration to woman bounded to the pole, "Where are they?! I don't see them anywhere!" 

Under the thick mask, Faye grumbled incoherent words that held the tone of anger mixed with annoyance. 

"Ah! I swear that I will seriously blow you to bits if they don't get here!" Teddy ranted on, angrily peering over the edge, hoping to scope the two men entering the building. 

Faye on the other hand only shook her head from within the mask pathetically. 

--_whistling tune *dut-dut-dut-tuuuuut*-- _(you knew it was coming.. heh) 

The tune was whisply carried in the air, and with keen ears Teddy recognized the tune quickly and let out a small shriek as his eyes darted about the roof of the building. It was no mistake that he had heard it, for Faye also picked up the odd tune and with it began to kick about for attention. 

Teddy, who had not expected the visitors to enter the building unnoticed by him, began to sweat beads from the tops of his brows and choke for air as his throat dried up. 

_--whistling tune *dut-dut-da-dutttttt*--_

He let out another shriek of fright and jumped to his side, scanning the premises for the visitor he expects to see. But around him, no living thing was in sight except for the kicking woman tied on the pole. 

His anger rose as he felt that the cowboy on horse was playing a little game on him. Quickly recovering his composure, he stuck out a brown detonator with a small teddy bear face on its front; the bear's nose used as a detonating switch. 

"Alright, man! You better come out slowly before this girl here gets it!" Teddy gestured the teddy bear detonator over to Faye's body. 

--_whistling tune *dut-dut-dut-tuuuuut*--_

"Would you quit whistling!!" Teddy shouted hysterically around him. He then pressed the pre-switch on the detonator, charging up the signal to pull the real switch on the teddy bear's nose, "Do that one more time and I will press it!" 

_--humming noise *hummm....hummmmmm...vrrrhhhhmmm*--_

Teddy blinked a couple of times at the new sound, "What the hell..?!" He was surprised to find the sound to be very loud and close to him, in fact right behind him. And slowly turning around to face whatever it was, he was greeted by a large gun barrel of a red zip-craft. 

Instantly, he dropped the detonator in his hand to the floor as he let out a girlish shriek at the figure through the cockpit window. 

"Hello Teddy!" Spike greeted through the intercom with his spiteful smirk. 

In front of him, Teddy whined as the barrel began to charge a bright blue color. 

"See this barrel fires plasma energy," Spike informed, "Now if you take off all those detonators on your arms.. we'll just say you won't get crispy at this second." 

Whimpering like a puppy with his tail between his legs, Teddy began to unstrap the detonators along his arms, abidingly dropping them to the floor, "There! Please don't shoot!" 

--_whistling tune *dut-dut-dut-tuuuuut*--_

The sound came from no where again, and this time both Spike and Teddy looked up near the tied up Faye to see the blond cowboy quickly helping the victim escape from the pole. At this, Spike began to yell through his speaker. 

"Hey! I had this Andy!" Spike gritted his teeth, "What are you trying to do?!" 

Andy kept a smug smirk on his face as he freed Faye and hastily pulled the mask off of her, revealing her moistened but relieved face, "Hey there beautiful." he huskily spoke. 

Faye eyed him with large eyes and smiled toothly, "Wow.. my hero." 

The act was clearly noticed by the man in the red ship, "H-Hey! Faye I'm the hero! I'm the one who caught Teddy Bommer!" 

Glancing over his way, Andy furrowed his eyebrows, "Didn't you see? I was the one who rescued the damsel." 

"Well if I hadn't got Teddy, then you wouldn't have been able to get to Faye!" 

Faye stood there watching the quarreling unimpressively, when suddenly she felt a slight tug behind her and a brown detonator was soon placed before her face. She sighed wearily before complying to her kidnapper. 

As the two still fought over the title of 'hero', they were certainly plenty occupied to not notice Teddy simply slide over to the side with Faye as once again his hostage. 

"Hey.. whooo-hoo.. damsel in distress.." Faye called out uncaringly as she found the whole thing pathetically juvenile. She even found it more immature as the two men seem to not hear her call. 

--"Teddy would have killed her!"   
--"He wouldn't have if I had released her, so I'm the hero!"   
--"If it wasn't for me, Teddy would still have her!"   
--"And if I hadn't taken her out, she would have been blown up by a bomb!" 

"Hey.. guys.. You know there's a bomb on me right? And, yeah, Teddy's got me again." Faye muttered loudly, and it surprised her that actually caught their attention. 

Teddy, who gayly watched the scene of shock unfold from the two morons' face as they realized they were once again at the place they started, gave a loud laugh, "C4, enough to blow 10 floors down from this rooftop! Thanks to you.. irritating little boys, I've got control of this situation again." 

"Faye!" the two cowboys let out in unison, which only led to another showdown with eye-contact before revving up to another arguement. 

Faye, who was now giving up all hope as the two men collided words against one another, sighed depressingly and took hold of Teddy's hand holding the detonator in front of her, placing it right to her forehead as a plead of instant death. 

Teddy on the other hand became angrily appalled that once again the two cowboys were not paying attention to him. He let out a frustrating howl before stomping his feet in agitation. 

--"Look what you did! You had to get up there and free Faye and screw my whole plan up!"   
--"What I did?! You weren't actually watching over Teddy were you?!!"   
--"I would have been if you weren't there!" 

It was around this time that Teddy began to crumple up on the floor and cry, "No one payes any attention to me!! No one!" 

Faye was obviously freed but unnoticed, casually picked up the fallen rope that held her before and stood over Teddy's sobbing body, arresting him then and there with Teddy not bothering to fight her. 

Once finished, she quickly pulled the man up and with one brow twitching, she shoved the man in the space between the Land Cowboy and the Space Cowboy. 

"There," she stated simply before walking away grumbling about the suit she's in as she left the two cowboys speechless behind her. 

One minute and a cold breeze had passed before the two men glared back at each other in silence and parted; Andy escorting the bounty downstairs, and Spike landing down and contacting Jet. 

~   
It had been a night to sourly reminisce, as the two lanky cowboys sat in the long couch inside the Bebop. The woman who remained agitated with the two sat cross ways on the single couch, sitting down in a manner of a child throwing a silent fit. 

Faye had made it clear to them five minutes ago that if she hears them argue about what had happened that day, or about some petty thing, she had threatened to rip the Swordfish II and eat the horse that was both placed in the hanger of the ship. 

And so, the silence spoke the reason why tension in the room was rising fast. 

One of the men, who was taking the whole day seriously in his point of view, crossed his arms in front of him after sticking a cig in his lips and finding that his lighter laid mockingly on the table to the side of the other cowboy beside him. 

Faye watched as Spike quietly fought in his mind whether or not to reach the lighter that was placed on the edge of the table within closer reach of Andy. Her eyes seemed to have caught the man's attention. 

"Hey Faye, can you get me my lighter?" he spoke the words cooly. 

Shaking her head, Faye pursed her lips, "Why don't **you** get it, Spike? It's right there." 

The green-haired man grumbled sternly, "Come on, Faye." 

Shaking her head again, Faye lifted her eyebrows at him in speculation, "It's not that hard to reach over there and grab it." 

"Why would I want to reach over there?" Spike said coldly, his eyes stealing a quick glare to the man beside him. 

"Don't flatter yourself," Andy retorted after picking up the sneering tone of Spike, "Like I want you anywhere near me." 

Spike, who was determined to let out come-back, decided otherwise as Faye's steely gaze shifted into a menacing squint. Taking a short and tempered breath, Spike fell back to his spot, giving up on smoking his cancer stick, and completely brushing off his urge to lift his knuckles into Andy's face. 

Faye, who sat across the two, gave a brief smile at Spike's action and reached for the lighter, lightly throwing it to the green-haired cowboy. 

Picking up the object from the side of his vision, he pulled a hand up to catch it and fixed his eyes to the smiling woman across him. 

"Good job," Faye exclaimed. 

The quick difference in her expression surprised Spike, "Uh.. thanks." 

Noticing the change in Faye's attitude to the mere action of Spike giving up on talking back to him, Andy pouted to Faye's direction, "It still doesn't make him a hero.. you said I was your hero!" 

"Did you hear me just say that he was?" Faye snapped back at once. 

"What?! So I'm not the hero?!" Spike began, almost biting through the cigarette in his mouth. 

"I didn't say that! I--" it wasn't long before she was interrupted and once again another arguement erupted between the two cowboys. 

"Give it up, Spike! She said I was the hero!" Andy stood up. 

Spike followed right away, "Well I should be given credit too 'cause I'm the one who distracted Teddy!" 

--"Why are you such a glory hog?!"   
--"Why are you so damn annoying?!"   
--"Annoying?! You should talk!"   
--"Annoying and pig-headed!"   
--"Oh I'm sorry, are you talking about me? Because it sounded like you were talking about yourself!"   
--"Smartass!"   
--"Dick!"   
--"Asshole!" 

"Asshole?!" Andy fumed, "You want to talk about assholes, why don't we tell Faye what you thought of her?!" 

At that, Spike's mouth opened slightly before hastily closing back shut. 

Faye, who had been the whole time rubbing her temples in stress, lifted her head to the two battling cowboys as she recognized her name being brought into the conversation, "What?" 

Simultaneously, both eyes of the men turned to her. One man with an angry look, and the other one seemed to have paled slightly in color. 

"That's right! Let's tell her and let her determine who's the asshole here!" Andy announced, simply proud of the facade Spike now held in his expression. 

Her face shifting to pure wonder, Faye turned to Andy and waited for the explanation. 

"Did you know, Faye, that Spike thinks you're a bother around this place?" Andy let out proudly, smiling toothly at her as he told, "I simply stated that you were a goddess, and off this guy goes about you eating up all the food, taking all the hot water, being an annoying tenant, and laughing! Get me? Laughing! About why I thought you were a goddess." 

Faye shifted in her seat uncomfortably, taking in all the things Andy had told her. She turned to Spike, who had now looked away to the left, looking down and guilty. 

"I mean, this guy doesn't even respect you!" Andy went on, thoroughly enjoying Spike's discomfort in the subject, "And the fact of the matter is, you don't have to put up with any of this Faye." instantly he caught her eyes again, "You can stay with me and you don't have to put up with any of this." he gave a kind smile to her, inviting her into his life which lead a far more pampered life that what she lived in now. 

Stretching out in her seat, Faye pondered on the idea before a wide smile played across her lips, "That would be nice..." 

Spike turned to her quickly, noting that her voice carried a certain interest in Andy's offer; Andy anticipatingly waiting of the 'OK' in Faye's words. 

"But.." 

Andy's face quickly turned glum; there was always a 'but'. 

"The Bebop wouldn't be the same without me." Faye replied, "You see.. that's my job here. To be the annoying tenant who wastes the ship's resources and does nothing for the team. That's my role in this ship, and playing as that character in this ship gives me a homey feeling." 

"But..but!" Andy stuttered and pointed a finger to the shocked Spike, "He called you all those mean things!" 

Faye shrugged, "That's Spike's role in this ship. 'Make fun of the annoying tenant'. Besides, he talks like that 'cause he's such a softy inside." she said sarcastically and rolled her eyes to the silent Spike who in turn let out a playful 'shaddup' to her while lighting up his cig with a grin. 

Switching his eyes to Faye, then to Spike, then to Faye again, Andy gave a childish huff, "I don't understand!" 

Sighing, Faye got up to her feet and cocked her head to the side, "Come on, Andy, let's talk okay?" She reached for his shoulder and led him to the dark corridors without any hesitation from him. 

She turned to Spike abruptly, "You stay here." 

Nodding, Spike sat back down on the long couch, pausing to think of had just went on in the room, still feeling the sick twisting in his stomach when Faye showed even little interest with Andy's proposal. He thought for a minute there that she was going to accept. It certainly surprised him that she had such a calm reply. She actually didn't go ballistic hearing about talking trash to her behind her back. It almost seemed as if she knew it was coming all along. 

Thinking that, a new thought arose from his mind. Was he that mean to her that she almost suspects that everything I say about her is and will always be something demeaning. A new wave of guilt washed through him and words spoken by Andy came back to his mind. 

_"You talk about that woman as if that is all she is. I'm surprised to find her still staying with the likes of you, when all you notice from her is all the negative actions she has ever done."_

It struck him that maybe he needed to change his attitude around Faye, especially when he claims to have a feeling for her. It wasn't fair for Faye to still act as if she was nothing in public; it wasn't right at all. And so, vowing in his mind, Spike will form his new persona towards Faye. 

"Ugh.. dammit." he grumbled out as he just realized how almost impossible it would seem. 

Heavy footfalls and the hanger doors opening and closing made Spike turn his attention towards the direction of the hanger itself. Upon hearing the abrupt noises, he got the idea in his mind that maybe Faye accepted Andy's proposal afterall and that was them just then leaving in a rush. Not caring to think it over, Spike sped towards the hanger quickly, only to find the violet-haired woman leaning against the doorframe, watching as the other cowboy and his horse sped away from the hanger opening. 

As Faye noticed Spike curiously eyeing her and Andy's retreating form, she gave a long sigh, "Glad that's over." 

"What.. what the hell did you do?" Spike asked slowly, thoroughly confused as to why Andy had made a quick dash for it. 

Faye shrugged uncaringly, "I told him I liked Samurais better." an entertained tone bounced along her words, "I told him Samurais were.. sexy." 

Staring at her dully, Spike hung his mouth wide open, "And? ..He believed you?!" 

"Yeah. And he's going off to become a Samurai." Faye replied, slightly amused. 

Also finding the situation amusing, Spike gave a chuckle and credited her for ingenius way of manipulating the guy with her charms, "Heh.. good work." 

Letting her arms fall to her hips, Faye eyed the man back with a frown, "Hey.. why did you say all those mean things about me?!" 

His nervousness rising, Spike let out a strangled laugh, "I-I dunno! I was just trying to get him to hate you!" 

With a little 'hmph' Faye turned her face away from him, "Why did you have to do that?!" 

"So he wouldn't try anything funny with you! It's not like I want to see him and-and.. you.. to-to..with each other!" Spike answered honestly, his voice getting defensive but at the same time weakening into a slight whine. 

After a brief pause and a quick thought, Faye turned her eyes back to Spike and lightly smiled, 

"Wow.. my hero."   
  


**~review pleaze~**

**On the next chapter:**   
************************************   
**Spike: Oh mah lordy, lordy! She has updated once again!**

**Strife21: ~.~ ...shaddup..**

**Spike: Finally! The 'Oh mighty Strife21' has finally updated after.. four months!**

**Strife21: ..shut it Fro-boy..**

**Spike: *not listening* `'`.'` I wonder..what took her SO long..hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!?!**

**Strife21:.. That's it! This story's ending is going to be so devastating, everyone will cry!!! ..EVERYONE!**

**Spike: `'`o.x'` ...whu?**

**Strife21: ~_~ ....**

**Spike: `'`o.o;;;'` ..come on Strife.. you don't mean that! I was just kiddin' around...**

**Strife21: ~_~ ...try me**

**Spike: `'`._.'` ..BACK UP!!**

**::Faye, Ed, Jet, and Ein comes in::**

**Faye: Ugh..what now??**

**Spike: `'`._.'` I made Strifey mad...**

**Strife21: *suddenly shouts* You're all dead to me!!**

**Faye: ||!.!|| what?! Spike you stupid fu-!**

**Jet: O]o; hwar! hwar! I ain't got nuttin' to do with this! *leaves***

**Ed: ```^-^`` Strifey so angry!! Faye-Faye and Spike-person better watch out~ hoooheeehee hwaaa! *leaves***

**Ein: *angry that he has to keep doing his 'doggy' act* Ugh.. woof. *scampers off***

**Strife21: *shakes her fist in the air* The world will fear my name when this story is over!! I will be recorded as the one who has placed the most cruel ending in the Cowboy Bebop section of ffnet!!**

**Spike: `'`;.;'` *starts praying* ..god.. if there is a god..**

**Faye: || >_>|| *threatens Spike* You did this to me you stupid ass! You're gonna make me have a horrible ending!**

**Spike: `'`x_x'` *goes ballistic in his prayer* I didn't mean it!! I swear!! *sob***

**Faye: ||._.|| All I wanted.. was some shoes.. a new skirt.. and maybe a little luvin' now and then...**

**Spike: `'`x_x'` *still going crazy* --Please!!! Please!!! I'll pray everyday to you!! I'll quit smoking! I'll stop thinking of JULIA!!!**

**Strife21: o.o?**

**Faye: ||_||**

**Strife21: .. o.o You mean you still think about her..?!**

**Spike: `'`o.o;'` Well..yes...**

**Faye: ||!_!|| ..what?!**

**Strife21: ~_~ ...**

**Spike: `'`x_x;;'` No more though! I will never, no more!**

**Faye: ||!_!||**

**Strife21: *pretends Spike doesn't exist***

**Spike: `'`x_x;;'` ..I'm going to die aren't I?**

**Strife21: *still pretending* Next chapter will contain *leans over to Spike, and loudly phrases the next words* BETRAYAL! DISRESPECT! AND ANTI-LUVIN' STUFF!!!!**

**Spike: `'`._.'` *deaf***

**Strife21: ..all thanks to you, puffball..**

**Spike: ..whatcha' say?**

**Faye: ||#_#|| Why do I deserve such cruel punishment such as living in a world of no luvin'?!!**

**Strife21: "All mind and no heart"-- is next chapter.. see you then.**

**Faye: ||c_c|| Somebody... hold me~**

**~laterz, cowboy...~**

* * *

  
Another note: The next chapter is the revised version of the episode..uh.. eh.. *thinks*... I forget the name.. but you know, it's that episode with the wierd guy in the tv who brainwash people into joining his cult and then kills them. And Faye, ya know, she tries to get him herself. Yeah.. revised chapter based on that episode..yeah... ah you get me don't you?   
Also, you know that song by Wyclef and Claudette Ortiz--"Two Wrongs" ..isn't that just a Faye/Spike song?! I dunno.. I think I'm going to use that song in a chapter soon.. hoooo~ 


	9. Hey look A note from the Author

A Sour, Unexcusable Note from Strife21   


* * *

  
Dear Readers: 

This is just a little note that the next chapter will be very very VERY (you hear me?)   
different from the episode 'Brain Scratch' (thanks **AniGirl 7**) due to the missing information   
of the episode in the deep, dark membranes of my brain. 

Because I lack the motivation to find a good review for it, I decided to fill in the   
blanks in my memory of the episode with crap I made up (what's new right?).   
Unless of course, someone can send me a good review of the the story, or even just the   
basics such as the name of the vegetable-hacker-dude. 

Also, due to the reason that I don't want to pro-long anymore delays in this   
story (for **Sushigirl07 **for calling me her hero and is certainly forgiven, and for **Althea** who I'm very glad to have inspired)   
as it nears its end and would like to keep a steady pace of updating, I don't want the fact that I don't remember   
what happened in that episode, get in the way of my plan to update much more frequently (Thanks to the   
following reviewers: ...**a-chan, Princess of Makai-**where'd you get the flying monkey?**, cowgirl_for_a_day**-I'll send it as soon as I remake it, **Shari Hirtle**, **131617killua zoldik080419**-I don't think I'm going NC17 on this, **Space Chick**, **theyreallyloveme**-can't change my mind with the TxV pairing..sorry, **Fire Mistress**, **Shadow Raven**-Love Kanno's music, and I have an almost full collection, **Kelly Cracken**-A new reader! *jumps up and down, ** leslie**, **Blooknaburg**-wassup!, **oblivious-**VERY BIG thank you!, **nicole lindsley** who is apparently my sister lol, and to **everyone I missed **who supported me the whole time). 

So in conclusion, I hope as readers you may forgive me in the next chapter   
which will probably be missing very important facts from the real series. But   
mind you, you'll certainly love all the FxS going on ^.^ 

Sincerely your-slave-writer...err cool-author... err shibby-drug dealer... err ah, forget it!   
Strife21 

**PS: Thanks to all readers and reviewers for taking a chance on a delusional SxF writer.**   
**You're all automatically invited to anything I get a party for.**


	10. All Brain, and No Heart pt1

A/N: Big thanks to the following... **Gota de Mar** & **KawaiiAyu **for the very helpful link(s) to the review for 'Brain Scratch', and to **Althea** for offering the help. With the help of that, I was able to clarify names and even most of the storyline (though much is still different ^.^;). Do enjoy. 

_Italics - thoughts_

**All brain, and no heart**   
  
  


_It didn't take long for me to break my vow to respect Faye better._

_It didn't take much either..._

Sitting on his small bed inside his compacted dorm, Spike let his room fill with once again smoke from his many cigarettes. Shoulders hunched, elbows resting on his knees, Spike contemplated in his mind of why he had acted the way he did in such a short amount of time. 

_Shit, I messed it up pretty badly_. 

He gave a loud groan before smudging the cig in his fingers and grasping a new one from his pack to smoke. All the while, his mind trailed back to his actions earlier in the day. 

It had only been a couple of minutes after the leave of Andy that Jet had returned with the bounty money to split. Spike remembered something about money just being split between Jet, himself, and Ed. And Faye went ballistic when she heard. 

{Flashback}   
"Explain to me why I don't get a share?" Faye scrambled from the couch, standing, "I was the damn victim!" 

"That's right Faye, you were the victim, you weren't any part of the help," Jet calmly explained as he split the money three-ways. 

If Faye could hiss, this would be the moment she would, "I was the lure. I lured you guys over there! Don't tell me that wasn't helping!" 

"Yeah, but we really didn't need to go after you," Spike suddenly blurted out, consciously unaware that it was in fact he who felt responsibility to bring her back home. 

Turning to the lanky cowboy, Faye felt appalled with his comment, but her demeanor held no affect to the words, instead they resumed to turn into anger, "Y-you, shut up!" 

Spike noted her tone and flashed her an angry look, "Like you said, Faye, you're the 'annoying tenant who wastes all the ship's resources and doesn't help any'. I'm only stating a fact." 

Though Faye's displeasure surely have risen its peak, it was uncomprehendable to her expression that the words and the actions of the green-haired man had begun to sting her mind and her heart. It hadn't even been an hour since she thought they were starting to get along fine, and already the inviting feeling passed. Now she felt uninvited and more seen as a person with a lesser value, "Fuck you, Spike! Fine! Split the money with the three of you, see if I care!" she hadn't meant her voice to crackle in the end, and so to save her from embarrassing looks, she quickly exited the room and entered the hanger...   
{end Flashback} 

_..Where she left without another word.._

He threw his half done cigarette into the ashtray, raked a hand through his green hair, and sighed deeply. He was utterly dumbfounded at the reason he acted so, which came as a really painful mystery, and apparently didn't notice that he was bringing tension and rivalry into the air between them. 

_I'm an asshole.._. the words ran around in circles in his mind, agreeing to it each time they passed another round, "What kind of guy, who overly feels protective to a girl and honestly would like to be with her more, suddenly give her such a great amount of misery in some world record time?" 

"Only Spike-person can do it!" the sudden appearance of the young red-headed crew member made him almost fall on his back over his bed. 

"Ed!!" Spike yelled after gaining back his composure, "What the hell are you doing here?!" he noticed that he hadn't even heard the girl enter in, his door was completely shut, "And.. how the hell did you get in?!" 

Ed gave a twirl before landing on her knees several feet from where Spike sat, "Oooh~ Ed is a tricky one, hehehoooooo!" jumping up to her feet, she tip-toed towards Spike's bed and sat down with a grumpy look that matched Spike's, "While Spike-person was in his little 'thinking mode', Ed snuck in unnoticed! Ed is a tricky one!" she shouted and began to do tumbles, which was almost impossible to do on Spike's small bed, but then again.. with Ed, anything was possible. 

Grumbling, Spike stood up and crossed his arms, "What do you want, Ed?" 

Creating a massive and dangerous tumble out of Spike's bed, Ed finished with a cartwheel with her hands to the floor, "Ed is here to tell Spike-person that Jet-person has terrible, terrible news." she squealed.   


"Yeah, what's that?" Spike dully asked, groping his pockets for another smoke to waste. 

"Jet-person and Ed found new bounty! New bounty is some 'religious cult', Jet-person said so!" Ed jumped to back on her feet and made a bug-eyed face. She lifted her arms in front of her, as if she was a zombie of some sort, "New bounty makes new members by hypnotizing! Hehehe!" 

Spike couldn't find what was so terrible about it, not that mesmerizing people into joining them was not terrible, but why did it matter to them, "So, what's the deal? Jet got some grudge against this guy or what?" 

"Nu, nu~" Ed stopped suddenly and grabbed Spike's arms, surprising him, "Jet-person saw the commercial with weird-bald-guy talking about the cult! Then Jet-person and Ed saw terrible thing!" 

Unsure that the expression Ed held on her face was even possible, Spike sputtered to ask, "What did you see?" 

"Ed saw Faye-Faye and so did Jet-person!" Ed suddenly yelled and ran out of the room, "Jet-person wants to tell Spike-person that Faye-Faye might be in trouble! Woho!!" 

~   
"This guy goes by the name, Londes." Jet threw a picture and an ISSP report towards the man sitting across him, "He used to be a Neurobiologist, studying brain functions, et cetera, until he claimed to have a vision of God and himself shifting spirits into digital data. Soon after, he suddenly disappears, then suddenly reappears as an electronic image with his group, or cult he calls SCRATCH."   
Spike eyed the picture of an aged old man with no hair, "So what the hell does this.. SCRATCH do again? Some sort of religious cult, right?" 

"Right. The human brain functions by a weak stream of electrical pulses. His theory is that, if you are able to copy that as data and play it over the universal network or netspace as a program, then you can exist only as a soul. No body, no real feeling, not anything but data that moves around the galactic net," Jet replied thoroughly, aware that he may have lost Spike along the way. 

Staring at the picture again and wrinkling his nose at the aged man, he looked up at Jet as he spoke, "What kind of moron would want to believe that, let alone join?" 

Jet shrugged, "The promise was that if the soul leaves the body, all your problems will go away since the body is only a shell for your presence here on the universe, and so Londes states. There are already 20,000 members, of which 100 have committed suicide or ended up missing. Since that report, cops finally moved their lazy asses to investigate." 

"And you're sure you saw Faye in that commercial?" Spike asked for the thirteenth time. 

Jet gave a grim expression, "Yeah." 

Slapping the file on the table, Spike groaned and stood up, "Okay, let's get this shit over with." 

~   
The horde of people stood before a tower of television sets that stood inside a run down warehouse. The mass of bleak, dismal people stared with open mouths at their cult leader as he spoke his preaches. 

"What is a physical body? The body is merely an object. It is an existence all too impure to store the gods within us called souls. Now you will remember. The blood stained history! Material desire. Hunger. Sexual drive. Desire to dominate. Desire for fame. As long as there is a body, desires will be born. As long as there is desire, human ego will not disappear. Humans will continue to fight to fulfill their bodies' desires, and it will never end. At this rate, there is no future! Now awaken your soul! Now be rid of that filthy body!" 

The mass seemed to rivet with the speech as they thrust one hand into the air and cried out a cheer. Silence enveloped soon before their electronic leader began to speak again. 

"Remember, my children, temptation to go back to your lives will not help you, it will threaten you." the mass nodded to his voice, "Eliminate those who try to stop you from your true freedom." 

~   
Walking along the streets of the well populated city, Spike was out venturing in hopes to find any of the cult members of SCRATCH, which he thought was pathetically stupid to even try when it clearly showed that most of the city's population is part of the organization. All he had to do was go to a well visited area and find people who are wearing matching blue jumper suits, handing out flyers to uninterested people. And that place was the park. 

He trotted down the scenic broadway, heading towards the group he's been meaning to question. As he was nearing them, he could see the many flyers with the praises of their leader scattered around the ground he stepped on. 

"Hello sir, we represent SCRATCH, an electronic transcendence group. We are the disciples of God, sent here to free your soul from your body and lead you to the infinite sea of electrons," one member greeted him, a woman with short, brown hair. 

Spike looked at her, startled with her long introduction, "Um..hi." he responded. 

"Would you like to free your soul from your body?" she asked, her face still engraved into a light smile. 

"Sure...?" Spike replied and took the flyer that was handed to him. He took a glance at it and recognized the picture of Londes on the front, "Hey miss, excuse me but before I.. 'free my soul' or whatever, can you tell me when I'll get to meet Mr. Londes?" 

The woman's face quickly changed dramatically into despise, "Are you sure you want to join us, sir?" 

Spike chuckled nervously, "Are you kidding me? Of course I am! I-I was just curious as to when I'll get to meet our leader." at first the girl's face didn't shift, and he got the idea that maybe she wasn't buying it. He found out seconds later that in fact, the woman had bought his demise and smiled proudly at him as she gave him a ticket. 

"Before meeting Mr. Londes, we will have to free your soul first," she explained and pointed to his ticket, "Please bring this to your local shop. You will receive the latest 'Brain Dream' for the use to transmit your soul into the infinite sea of electrons. Of course you will have to purchase it, but this ticket helps you to get one as fast as possible." she gave a quick nod before moving to a new passerby, leaving Spike oddly staring at the ticket in his hands. 

"Uh.. thanks," he called out though he knew the girl wasn't listening at all. Turning around, he shoved the ticket in his pocket and trotted back to the Bebop. 

~   
Hearing a loud hiss of air-locked doors opening, Jet turned his head to find the green-haired tenant standing there with a smirk, "Whatcha' find?" 

Spike casually walked down the small steps of the rec room and sat across his balding comrade. Still with a smirk on his face, he pulled out from a plastic bag in his hands, an electronic device with goggle-like features and connections of several wires. Throwing it to the gaping man in front of him, Spike laid comfortably back into his seat, "Let's 'free our souls' first." 

Jet questionably handled the device in his hands, "By playing online games?" he marked incrediously, "What the hell are we supposed to do with this?" 

"Apparently," Spike gave a sigh, bewildered that Jet didn't even know how the cult operated, "This kid's toy is how your soul gets transferred into the netspace." he unfolded the flyer he got earlier and placed it onto the small table, turning it around to face Jet, "One of the members explained that you needed it, in order to join. I guess you can go see how it goes, maybe even let Ed hack into it a little bit." he recommended. 

Letting out a chuckle from deep within his throat, Jet shook his head unbelievingly, "Great job, Spike. I'm proud," he awarded sarcastically and placed the device on the table, stopping abruptly after remembering something, "Oh yeah, we got some great news for you." 

"What's that?" Spike asked as he looked over the man in front of him. 

"Ed's tracked down Faye's ship signal. Seems that she's around here, which we are lucky for, and not far," Jet informed and handed Spike a small tracking device, "So if you aren't busy, you might want to go check with what's up with her." 

Standing up and tightly holding the tracker in his hand, he turned to leave when Jet's voice caught him in the middle of his first step. 

"If it doesn't seem like she's herself, there's a good chance that she's been brainwashed," Jet let out, "Don't do anything irrational. Just try to get her back here in no harm. Some of the ISSP officers who have handled several of the members before, claimed to have stated that the members would often forfeit by taking their own lives." 

At the last phrase, Spike froze from his spot. 

"If Faye's not herself..." Jet trailed off and stopped as Spike responded softly. 

"I know," he began to walk back towards the hanger, "I get it." 

~   
In his red zip craft, Spike overlooked the outskirts of the city where ruins of old buildings and warehouses stood crumbling and dissipating with each year. 

"Hey-lo Spike-person!" Ed cried from his transmitter. 

"Hey Ed," Spike greeted back and held up the tracker in his hand to the screen, "Tell me where you spotted Faye's ship." 

Nodding hastily, Ed clacked the keys on her tomato furiously as she sent information into the hand held device in Spike's hand, "Ah, look!" she spotted, and so did Spike, "Faye-Faye is flying!" 

_Flying? What the hell?_ He watched inquisitively as the dot in the green screen danced around his position. He noticed the dot seem to be closing in on his craft. That's when he looked up just in time to spot the Redtail fly from below to the front of his craft. 

Without hesitation, the Redtail began to fire bursts of ammo towards his craft, but with Spike's quickness he eventually got out of the way before any of the bullets did more than graze his Swordfish II. Swerving tightly to his left, Spike maneuvered his craft with precise as the Redtail trailed with it's machine guns on. 

"Spike-person! Faye-Faye with you!" Ed shouted excitedly on his screen as she too noticed that Faye's signal was near his, "Okay now, Ed will go help Jet-person! You and Faye-Faye have fun!" 

Gripping his handle as he narrowly turned to his right, Spike responded with a groan, "Fun?! She's firing at me, dammit!" his eyes noted a quick descent in the other's craft and frantically looked around to see where she was. He then remembered about the tracker and quickly glanced at it, seeing that Faye was right beside him on his right. The information was proven true as Faye's zip craft flew beside his. 

Quickly shifting his transmitter to Faye's channel, he shouted to the screen at the sight of her almost demonic face, "Faye, it's me! What the hell do you think you're doing?!" 

The Faye on the screen seemed to not care, "You're after Mr. Londes. You'll never take away our freedom." 

"What--?" Spike stared hard at the woman in the screen, but then remembered about what Jet had said before he left. 

_"If it doesn't seem like she's herself, there's a good chance that she's been brainwashed."_

He gave a deep, ragged breath and spoke cautiously, "Faye, it's me Spike." 

"Who is Faye? I have no name," the woman interrupted, "I need no name." 

"Dammit, you are Faye! Before you joined this stupid cult, you're name was Faye Valentine!" Spike yelled through the intercom, already irritated with the corrupt Faye. 

The Redtail sharply made a 90 degree turn to face Spike before it's rocket launchers opened it's heavy vessels to let out on of its deadliest weapons. 

"We are ordered to eliminate those who interrupt our work for freedom," Faye spoke in monotone as she triggered the rockets out of it's casings.   
Reeling back his Swordfish, Spike pulled the lever with his distraction canisters and fired it to the sky above, where Faye's rockets would eventually follow its heat. He gave a short sigh of relief as they did what he expected, but came back to the revolting fight against the brainwashed Faye. 

"Nothing will stand in our way! You humans are always selfish!" she began to ramble and once again started to fire her machine guns at him, 'causing him to run from them again. 

"Fuck, Faye!" Spike gritted his teeth, feeling tired of playing like he shouldn't do anything to harm her, but if he didn't then his ass was on the line. Quickly halting and pulling up, he gained a good position as the person behind the other craft. Feeling his trigger finger itch as they rubbed against the red switch behind the handle, Spike gave a deep breath before beginning to fire at the red craft in front of him. He felt his ship give a slight rumble before a long stream of endless bullets struck a critical area of the Redtail, which made it's left side collapse and smoke out. As he saw it spiraling downwards, he held his breath hoping that the craft would simply land by sliding instead of a crash. He watched with large, beady eyes, ready to face the possible collision. 

He gave a breath as he passed overhead the Redtail, which made the land by colliding bottom first, and found the craft damaged but not in any dangerous state. Turning about to land near it, he inspected the cockpit area of the Redtail only to find a bruised but over all well, Faye, standing with a gun in her hand, pointing to him as he descended near the ground. 

He kept his eyes at her face, her hair whipping the sides and front of her face as his craft made a land, and sat in his cockpit once he was safely on ground. Spike didn't know what to do next: was he suppose to get out there, risking himself to catch a bullet or even get killed? Or just fly away at the moment? Opening up his intercom, he began to speak to her from the inside the safety of his ship. 

"Faye, listen--" 

"I am not Faye!" she interrupted him once again and gave a warning shot, which dented his wind shield. 

"Listen!" Spike yelled, "Who the hell are you then?!" 

"I am No.8020056, A class," she replied thoroughly, still holding her gun high to him. 

Spike new without thinking that Faye wouldn't miss her shot if he so much as stepped out. So he had a plan. 

"You are Faye!" --she fired three times at him, creating more dents on the glass before him-- "You're brainwashed! They're not going to free you in this damn cult! They're going to kill you!" --the words seemed to trigger an impulse to destroy him quicker, and with that the woman fired her gun in a steady pace until it produce only an empty click. 

_Here's my chance... _Opening the hatch above him, Spike clambered out and pulled out his own gun, pointing it directly to the woman, "Give up, Faye!" 

The woman gave a slight snarl before jumping off her cockpit and quickly running off, taking shelter to the collapsed buildings a few feet behind her. Letting out a soft swear, Spike jumped off his own cockpit and ran after her. He was absolutely surprised on how fast she was as she ran, but then thought that Faye was always used to running away. 

As they ran down a hall of white, dissolving brick, Spike could see that they were heading to a room in the middle of the building where a tower of television sets sat in it's middle. The Faye in front of him stopped as soon as they entered the room, staring at one screen in the tower that was open and held a face, Londes' face, on it. 

"Human brains are very gullible to everything they learn, like faith and religion," Londes spoke out through the screen, "People will believe anything for the gain of hope, faith, self-respect, and sometimes even happiness and recognition. All humans are basically computers in flesh. You program the computer with something, and that's what they will always use or function with." 

Seemingly not interested on what Londes had to say, he shot a single bullet to stop his preaches, only to have the other sets spring to life with the same face. 

"Ah-ah," Londes tsked, "Witness the human sins of wrath, pride, envy; three of the seven sins written in the book almost all of the population in this universe believes in. You see, people act as they do because they knew or read that the act exists. I believe that if people had no religion at all, then maybe all the sins written in the book of God would be forgotten, and none will exist in their worlds. This is why I have made this cult; isn't this what you strive to know?" 

"You claim to beautify humans by brainwashing them with mindless antics before killing them, and then suspect that their lives would then be saved?" Spike spoke out, unaware that Faye had picked up a nice revolver on the floor for her to use. His eyes trailed for the large television screen until they stopped at the figure of Faye, pointing another gun at him. 

Londes became quiet after a while, studying the bounty hunters words in his mind, "Beautify them, yes, before I kill their wretch less, pathetic lives. They don't know this, and will never do. While I'm still in this world, be it reality or electronically, my followers will follow my every heed until the days I have no longer use for them. Death is the only way," Londes clarified, "Only way to be cleansed from the sins of living." 

"Faye.." Spike spoke out, focusing on the armed woman in front of him, "Faye, put it down." 

Giving out a short laugh, Londes finished with a chuckle, "The follower you express as Faye is no longer herself. My brainwashing has proven very affecting to her mind for she was vulnerable when my other followers got to her. Because of this, talking to her or changing her mind will not be easy. She only listens to what I say. Care for a demonstration?" 

Spike watched in horror as Londes ordered Faye's hand, that which carried her gun, to lift to her right temple. 

"Only one command to pull the trigger," Londes threatened, "One command, and she will be freed from this cruel world." 

~   
"Okay Ed, hook it up and log on," Jet ordered as he placed the goggles on himself and waited with the sound of keys being punched in by Ed. 

"Ed will do what Ed can do!" she chanted as the screen of the SCRATCH website came in view, and a woman began to do an introductory. 

"Welcome to SCRATCH, an electronic transcendence gr-" the woman on the screen didn't get to finish. 

"Blah-blah! Ed gets it! Too much talkie~" Ed punched in some invalid names and access codes, before the woman appeared again with a welcome. Then, a vivid screen of the vast space came into view as Londes' voice came in the background. 

"Blood, muscle, and bone. When those are lost, humans face death..." 

As Jet stared awkwardly at the pictures before him, he could feel a slight wave of nausea affect his vision and his body. 

"What lies beyond that?" Londes continued, "Heaven? Hell? Reincarnation? Such things cannot possibly exist. Those are mere excuses.." 

Jet could start to feel his fingers shake, and his limbs shiver at the odd wave alternating his mind. Ein knew something was wrong as he began to bark at the mesmerized Jet. 

"Ein? Ein mad at ugly-bald-guy?" Ed scooped up the angry corgi, "Ed is mad at ugly-bald-guy too! Ed will growl with you!" she briskly got on all fours and followed Ein as he growled at Jet's figure. 

"None of the previous paths to salvation had such a clear vision as this..." 

Jet let out a groan and immediately, Ein gave a vicious bite into the older man's leg, with Ed following suit also biting him in the same leg. Crying out in surprise, Jet tossed the device from his eyes and rubbed the now sore leg, "God, what was that for?!" 

He blinked out a few times before finally realizing that the weird sensation in his mind and body disappeared, "What the--" and then it came to him, the function of how 'Brain Dream' recruited members for SCRATCH. 

"Ed, get Spike!" 

~   
"Isn't it sad when one experiences such a situation?" Londes spoke out mockingly, "When one suffers the loss of another, preferably someone dear to their hearts? This is what life is. Life makes and takes what is brought to you. Only the lucky ones make through this life with fulfilled happiness." 

Spike burned the screen with Londes' face with a scowl, "I don't get it. Why do you want to do these things?! Why are you doing this?!" he gestured a hand angrily towards the unwavering Faye, who still had the barrel to her forehead. 

Londes gave a meek smile, "The world is unfair. And it was unfair to me," he gave a pause, "I was once brilliant and promising, and in mere seconds I became a nobody. A nobody who could no longer promise anything to this world. Why was I given such a fate? Answer me that, and I will answer your own question." 

"Fate is what our life is all about; figuring out our fate and ways to shift them," Spike recoiled, "You said life gives and takes, and so it does its job. You have no right to seek revenge on life, especially when you talk about life being an uncontrollable object. These actions of yours go against every word you preach." 

In the screen, Londes' face seemed to hesitate, "You know nothing of my preaches!" he shot back acidly, "Perhaps I teach you them now!" 

The building gave a low groan as Spike's eyesight seem to deceive him, showing the ground before him start to melt and rock back in forth like a stack of gelatin. Faye's figure seemed affected by the sensation also, her hands held her head as she fell back, moaning. 

"What the hell are you doing?!" Spike let out angrily, his body not responding, he fell to his knees. 

"Fate will deceive your life," Londes spoke seriously, a slight amused tone hinted also, "And I'll help it do it's job now."   


**To be continued....**   
  


**~review pleaze~**   


**On the next chapter:**   
************************************

Ed: OmGosh! Strifey's made a cliffhanger!! ```^_^`` 

Jet: Well, I thought she just lost inspiration because she thrives on the ability to lose ideas within the speed of sound? O]o 

Strife21: *runs in and thwacks Jet on the head* 

Jet: X]x oooowww... dammn... 

Ed: ```^-^`` Heeeey~ Strifey! Where's Spike-person and Faye-Faye? 

Strife21: .->.>...out...they're..doing me a favor... 

Ed: ```^-^`` Ooooh!! Is Spike-person and Faye-Faye busy? 

Strife21: NO, THEY'RE NOT LOCKED UP IN THE WAREHOUSE!!! STOP INTERROGATING ME!!! 

Ed: ```._.`` ..... 

Jet: o[O ..... 

Strife21:...................................................I MUST GO NOW AND CRY! *walks off fast* 

Ed: ```^-^;;`` Woohooo~ Strifey has gone psycho! 

Jet: ..O]o Hey! I just noticed this is the second time I showed up on this little preview-thing! *struts around* 

Strife21: *appears and suddenly Jet disappears* 

Jet: [gone] 

Ed: Psycho! Psycho!! ```^o^`` 

Strife21: *huddles and whispers to the audience* ...the next chapter will be "All brain and no heart pt.2"... *runs off* 

Ed: ```^-^;;`` Don't worry, people, Strifey's just stressing... heehee.. Psycho! 

Announcer Guy: What's going on in this fanfic? Why's the Strifey acting like she's scheming? Where's Faye? and Spike? Will the next chapter be uploaded sooner than a month? Will Jet be back to do this...preview-thing? Will Ed notice that Strifey is indeed psychotic and is scheming? Will you ever notice that Strifey is indeed running out of ideas within the speed of sound? Will you ever find out why the announcer for DBZ is on this, and if yes, will I be here long? Find out in the next episode of..... 

**It all Started.. With the Fat Guy**   
  


**_~laterz, cowboy....~_**   
  



	11. All Brain, and No Heart pt2

A/N: I am indeed in psychotic mode, in complete stress, and majorly scheming. e.e but I love you all and so I update for the benefit of your rightly functioning minds. Thanks to all who reviewed. Your reviews triggered a natural high for me to plot and scheme and plot some more, thus your present of another chapter. 

Mwahahar~   


_Italics - thoughts_   


**All brain, and no heart pt2**   
  
  


He could hear voices in the background; one shrilly voice and one low, older voice. He was confused though, he could not place faces on the voices he barely could hear. He opened his mouth to respond, only his voice let out a groan of slight pain, curiosity, and disturbance. 

"Hey Spike! You awake?" 

_Spike? _He thought over the name that the low voice mentioned to him. For a second, he didn't know it was his own. 

"Spike, get up!" 

_Spike.... I'm Spike.._

Realization suddenly struck him and his mind finally clarified that he truly was. Within a second, and without anymore thought, he forced his body to bolt straight up to face the voice who called him from the darkness of his mind. The face was foreign, but at the same time he knew who the man was. 

"Jet," he said in a low whisper, not quite in a question, but more of a statement. Little did he know that his condition didn't support his idea of bolting upright so quickly, and so he fell back down to the soft cushions of a long, yellow couch. Pounding pain soon filled his head as he laid back down on the cushions, and his hands immediately sprang up to hold his aching. 

The older man gave a laugh, "Idiot," he muttered under his breath. He picked up a warm soaked towel from a nearby bowl and wringed it dry. Holding it gently over the hand that covered Spike's forehead, he ordered him to place it on. 

Complying, Spike let the warm feeling of the fuzzy towel sink into his skin and skull. With eyes closed, he thought over his position and wondered how he was brought confused when awoken, back in the safety of the Bebop when he was supposed to be after some bounty and save.... 

"Faye?" Jet interjected, "She's awake," he spoke a little slowly in which Spike caught suspicious. Another thing was, Spike didn't understand how the man knew that he himself was about to dwell into questioning about the woman. 

"You're talking out loud, Spike," Jet gave a chuckle, "That's how I know." 

Spike remained quiet for a while before a lopsided grin emerged from his lips, "I was?" Trying to sit up again, he moved slowly with the help of the one arm of the couch, his other hand supporting the damp towel above his eyes. He moved his tired eyes to the balding man, a grin on his face still, "What the hell happened, Jet?" 

Standing up, Jet rubbed the back of his neck tiredly, "I caught Londes while you were about to take a beauty nap," he said bluntly and reached out a hand for the towel from Spike, "Let me get that warmed up again." 

Giving the man the towel, Spike leaned forward, his elbows on his knees, as he proceedingly took his time to take in all the information, "Wait, that still doesn't answer my question. I thought I had Londes, and Faye, and the next thing I know I'm lying on this couch with a headache..." 

Jet placed the bowl with the towel down and sat back down on the table in the middle of the room with a sigh, "You did have Londes, just not the right one. You did have Faye, just not at the greatest moment," Jet's eyes moved to the 'Brain Dream' across the room, "I tried that damn thing right after you left to find those two, and I figured how it helps brainwashing cult members into SCRATCH." 

"How?" Spike questioned, soaking in the facts thrown at him. 

"By electronic pulses, small pulses, that invigorates certain membranes and brain cells and triggers comfort by the will of another," Jet gave a chuckle at the sight of Spike's disgusted face, "Which means, small waves of electrons that are transferred by invisible signals from a strong source into the air around them within the radius of 1 mile. But if you were initiated, meaning you've been brainwashed by the original source, through the 'Brain Dream', then the signal can travel as far as miles beyond space. You, then, was on the brink of being brainwashed but luckily Ed and I got to the real Londes first." 

Letting out a small chuckle, Spike scratched his closed eyes warily, "So that's why I couldn't remember you for a while there," he gave a sigh and laid back, "And Faye? I saw her fall to the floor while Londes was trying to brainwash me--or at least that's what it sounded like from what you're saying happened." 

Jet continued to rub his aching neck again as his eyes showed pure discern for the words he was going to say, "Ah, Faye... The brainwashing.. well... If the victim has already been initiated, versus one who hasn't been but has been affected by it without initiation, the damage towards hiding memory and losing them is very effective." 

Spike stared at Jet for a minute before his mind registered what his point was being brought up to, "So where is she?" 

He pointed towards the dark hall downstairs leading to the rooms and beyond, "I locked her up.. in the lavatory." 

~   
It was dark and humid in the room she was placed in. And she didn't like it at all. 

The room was a small, confined space. A low toilet sat in the middle and center of the room, bars, one of which her hands were bounded to with metal handcuffs, edged along the two parallel walls on her sides, and the tiled, cold floor kept her bare feet cold enough to succumb to the hot, heavy air around her. She breathed in a ragged breath that shivered and racked her whole body as she sat still on the closed toilet. 

She was afraid, all of a sudden, and couldn't think up why. From the moment she woke up she had felt confused and attacked the first person she saw. A man with sharp eyes and a bald top. Her first instinct was to strike, and she failed miserably, falling head first before she could kick him. She had tried to strike him again, in his attempt to help her up her feet, but the punch only twirled her from her spot and her back became vulnerable as the man held her in a head lock. 

He had called her by some name, and it was odd that she recognized it and took it in as her name. He asked her other questions too: Where do you live? Who am I? Where are we now? All of which she did not know, and that's what her answer was. Somehow the questions interrogated to her triggered a voice in her mind: 

_Destroy.. destroy those who try to stop you're journey to freedom!_

And she desperately tried to free herself and hurt the man, but the man was too powerful for her and gripped her like an octopus. He had lectured her then, telling her that if she didn't cooperate then it left him no choice but to place her somewhere else. 

That's how she had ended up in her so called 'prison'. 

_Destroy..._

She breathed the word in thickly, intending to do as the voice told her once she got the chance. She plotted in her time spent there, and all plots lead to chances only her fate can decide what would happen next. 

Her throat held her ragged breaths in as heavy footsteps made there way to the front of the entrance in front of her. Shadows danced from the small light that came in from the slit on the bottom of the door. 

There was a small hiss of air as the door slid open, light shining to her eyes painfully that she had to squint almost her eyes closed just to be able to surpass the yellow, bright light. 

And she peered, through the clumped, sweat-soaked, purple hair in front of her eyes as her two visitors came into sight. 

_Destroy..._

Her voice let out a trill growl, scratching her dry throat as she spotted the man with the green mass of hair. In an instant, she forced herself up and backed away, ready to strike him on cue. 

"She's still not responding to anything except her name," she watched as the bald man talked to the green haired man, who continued to eye her with an unreadable expression. 

She watched intently as the green haired man nodded to the bald man's words, and stepped forward slowly. She positioned her right foot slightly behind the other, ready to pounce to the man if he got near enough. 

_Destroy..._

"Faye," the man asked in a whisper. 

And she answered to him, not fully understanding why or how... 

~   
"What do you want, Spike?" the woman hissed to him, her dark jade eyes full in trance and hate. He was surprised that she recognized him. 

Spike stared at her eyes through the purple waterfall that cascaded over them, "Do you know where you are?" he wasn't sure what he was supposed to say, but the thought of seeing if her memory was coming back slowly was any evident, seemed to be a good idea then. 

"In prison," she answered in the same tone, in the same expression, in the same position. She didn't waver on her spot one bit, even if her hands were tied and sore from the cuffs around them, and if her feet was dangling and shaking from the heated air of the lavatory. 

He creased his eyebrows at her, "Do you know what's going on?" 

"You're stopping me from being free," he had to admit that she was polite enough to answer his questions, but wished that she spoke more truth that just the bullshit she was fed, "And now you've got me locked up in this hell hole until I die." 

Spike shook his head at her answer, "You're back into the Bebop, Faye. You live here," he watched as she quivered as soon as he had said _live_, "Don't you remember?" 

The woman stood silent for a minute before her eyes flashed with curiosity for a second before returning to its intent stare, "Remember what?" she asked in spite, "There's nothing to remember." 

He could see her struggle at his question, new sweat began to seep out of her forehead and her knees began to tremble more violently than before, "You mean, you don't remember anything do you?" 

He saw it, the Faye he saw when she was sick, the Faye he saw when they were by themselves in a room, the Faye he loved to see. The woman faltered to talk and gave up on standing as she sulked back in her seat atop the closed toilet, her eyes softening but still in trance as they moved to the floor of the room. He took this opportunity to step closer to her. 

A huge mistake. 

The woman wasn't really transfixed to his question, more so she was tricking him into stepping closer as she so that she could plant a kick squarely on his jaw. He stumbled back, surprised, shocked, anger mixed with amazement as he stared at her wide eyed. He could tell the move proved hard for her to do as she stood rigid breathless, shaking as an orange leaf dangling in the cold autumn wind. Fists clenched on the metal bar on her side for support, she remained standing and eyeing him venomously. 

"There is nothing to remember," she repeated in a whisper before collapsing with a groan to the floor on her knees, her hands slouched above her from the cuffs that burned her wrists. She turned her face to the cold metal wall, letting the feeling sear her warm cheeks. Closing her eyes, she prepared herself to rest her tired body, not minding if the two men would bother her, knowing there was nothing she could do about it. 

Spike slowly stood up from his spot and walked carefully back towards her. He noticed that she did not bother to see who was up there or even bother to move further away from him. He approached her even closer, slowly placing a hand over on of hers. 

He felt her shiver in his touch and her body tensed. He pulled away abruptly and turned to face Jet, "Give me the keys." 

The older man simply dug in his pocket and pulled out a ring of keys. Jet didn't ask, but he assumed Spike was going to free the woman from handcuffs, in which he didn't have any objections against. At the state she was in now, it was clear that she wouldn't be able to try a move again, and he knew Spike was just trying to move her from the humid lavatory to elsewhere cooler and more comfortable. 

Indeed, Spike did just that, and freed the woman's arms from the metal bar. Her hands fell heavily to the floor yet she kept her position, her forehead still pressed to the cold wall. Without hesitation, Spike gave Jet the set of handcuffs and keys then leaned down to the floor behind the woman. Placing a hand behind her knees, the other behind her head and around her shoulders, he picked her up with ease; the woman uncaring and not fighting against him let her hands dangle downwards as her head tiredly laid back suspended. 

He carefully moved out of the small lavatory, trying to move through the halls without having the woman in his arms bump any walls. Walking towards her room, Spike motioned for Jet to follow him, saying that he would be needing the handcuffs still. He glanced at Faye in his arms, who's eyes watched the ceiling move above her in dullness, and unconsciously gripped her closer in his arms. 

The woman noticed it and glanced at him shortly, flashing him a curious look before returning her blanched eyes to the ceiling above. At the moment, she didn't care what would happen next. Her thoughts were only drowned by a flashing warning, calling out to her.. 

_You've failed.... terminate your mission now._

~   
They entered her small dark room, both men and the frail woman in Spike's arms. Moving a careful towards the side of the wall to his right, Spike switched the lights open, making Faye squint her eyes at the sudden brightness. 

"Okay, Faye," Spike began as he made his way towards her bed to set her down, "This is your room. You stay here and get your rest," he moved his eyes towards the faithful Jet and asked for the handcuffs. 

Giving them to him, Jet watched as Spike gently took hold of one of Faye's slightly swollen wrists and cuffed them between a thin pipe that lined the wall where her bed was against, "You think we'll need those again?" 

Finishing up, Spike stood straight and glanced at Jet, "I'm not sure, but there's no way in hell I'd want to wake with a gun pointed at my head." he threw the keys at the small desk in the room, not far from the front door, "We'll keep her here until she remembers everything." 

Jet sighed, "Which can take a long while," he finished before grinning at his fellow comrade, "You've change a lot Spike. Just look at you, being so patriotic and generous. Now if Faye was herself, I think she'd be scared shit!" Jet began to laugh at his little comment. 

For a while, Spike stared quietly at Jet as he laughed before glancing back to the hopeless Faye, who laid motionless on her bed, eyes to the ceiling, "I just realized something, Jet." 

Jet stopped his laughing and looked over to Spike curiously, "What?" 

"Faye quit trying to defend herself," Spike let out slowly. 

"Because she was tired," Jet finished. 

"No, Faye quit defending herself," Spike repeated even slower and sat down the woman's bed; Faye kept herself motionless and uncaring at his action, "What's the ISSP report say when SCRATCH members quit defending themselves?" 

For a minute, Jet's face turned ghastly white, "No, there's no way she'll be able to. She's tied up and everything." 

Lifting a hand up in front of Faye's face, he waved a hand at her and noticed that she refused to use any of her reflexes such as blinking, "I don't think she needs anything else to do it." Frustration began to emerge in his mind and he leaned closer to her, his face above her own as he spoke, "Faye?" it was when he noticed it; there was barely any air coming out of her slightly parted mouth. 

His hands immediately shot up to grab her shoulders and shook her hard, "Goddamn it Faye! Breath!" her hair toppled up and down as he shook her, and when he stopped after a second, she was still unresponsive and eyes glued to the ceiling. 

Jet stood surprised at Spike's accusation, "What?! She's suffocating herself?!" 

"Get an oxygen tank! She's not suffocating herself while I'm around!" he demanded angrily to Jet, and watched as the bald man dashed towards the hanger. Turning back to the woman, who was now dangling from his arms, he furrowed his eyebrows at her, "What's wrong with you, Faye?! What the hell is wrong with you!" 

She remained quiet, but tears slowly appeared in her eyes as she continued her gaze upwards. 

Spike, who began to breath heavily with anxiety and fright, clasped her face with both hands and titled it, forcing her eyes to look directly at his, "This is stupid, Faye, what are you doing?" he pleaded to her softly, "Come on! This is not you!" 

Faye's eyes closed, a lone tear trailed down on her cheek as she sobbed softly in small gasps, "I failed.. I failed!" she moaned, letting her head fall to Spike's shoulder, "I failed!" 

Slightly confused but otherwise relieved, Spike moved his hands around her back and held her tighter to him, "Fail?" 

"I failed!" she moaned louder, "No one deserves to live when they fail! No one!" 

~   
She couldn't believe what she was doing at the moment, she didn't know his actions affected her greatly causing her to actually stop her process of termination for herself, and confessing to him exactly why she been trying to hold her breath to death. She knew she was supposed to hate him, but now she was confused. The voice told her that the man was whom she should be after, and yet she rests on his shoulder at that moment. 

Maybe the voice had been wrong the whole time. Maybe what these people, and this man, tried to tell her was actually real. She recognizes the people for sure, but the facts about them that she knew were clearly very different. She could feel it, a difference in her mind as she began to question the voice who talked to her mysteriously. 

"You don't have to listen to him anymore, Faye," the low voice above her head began to talk, the odd feeling of his voice rumbling in his throat made her calm slightly, "He's been feeding you bullshit. You're not his puppet anymore." 

"How... do you know it was him?" she whispered hoarsely and looked up at him. 

The man looked down at her with his mismatched, garnet eyes and fluttering smile, "He's gone, he can't do anything to you now. You didn't fail, Faye," her back became rigid as the man moved his lips to her left cheek, placing an affection she never recognized to have experienced before, "You're still here, you didn't fail." 

The words, the feelings, the confusion all burst out in her like a floodgate, letting new possibilities and suspicious scenes enter her mind. It gave her a look of shock as she was face to face with the green-haired man once again, this time his face held more recognition in her memory. 

"What..." she spoke hesitantly, feeling greatly unsure than before, "What?" 

The man noticed her expression and looked at her oddly, "Faye?" 

"Yeah?" she asked curiously, the man just eyed her back as oddly as before, "I-I don't get it. What are you doing here?" 

"What am I--??" the man restated and cocked his head at her, "This brainwashing thing is really annoying, especially when you're the one affected," the man joked. 

"Shut up, Lunkhead," she shot back acidly, "What the hell are you talking about?" she had to admit, the sudden change in her responses and behavior she couldn't get how and why it had began, but she felt a certain normality within her. 

The look he was giving now was more surprised, "What did you call me?" 

As if everything she was taught by the voice disappeared, washing down the sink hole of a dirty tub, Faye expanded her changes, welcoming in it's natural feeling. She shrugged away from the man's grip and tilted a brow at him, "You heard me, Lunkhead, what the hell are you doing here?" 

~   
Spike looked down at Faye skeptically as she stared back just the same, "Don't be fooling me now, Faye, you know it's not going to work this time." 

"Look, the only person you're fooling here is yourself. Now I'm going to ask you again.. what the hell are you doing here?!" she yelled loudly, hoping Spike would just let her have her answer, but instead she found herself within the arms of the man once again, "Let me go! What's wrong with you?!" 

"Are you serious?" Spike asked anxiously, grabbing her shoulders and shoving his face in front of hers, "You remember everything?" 

Faye's cheeks flushed slightly red, "Huh? What?! What are you talking about?!" she shoved him away again, only to find that her left hand seemed to be tied to something, keeping her to shove him with both hands. She turned to her left and stared hard at the cuffs around her red wrist. Turning slowly back to Spike with eyes closed, she opened them and blazed her eyes at him, "Okay, I didn't mind it when I found myself hugging you for some reason, but this has got be way out of line!" she pointed to her left hand, cuffed at the pipe, "Tell me what's going on here!" 

At the very moment, Jet rushed in breathless, a tank of oxygen in his arms, "Spike!" he stopped his call suddenly when an annoyed Faye moved her eyes to him. 

"Jet, what the hell is he doing?!" Faye demanded, only having the bald man drop the tank, wide eyes at her, and a mouth wide open. 

"What the--?" Jet began, moving his eyes to Spike not far away, "She's back or what?" 

Faye watched as Spike gleefully said 'yeah', and let out a frustrating growl, "Someone please tell me.. Just what in the world is going on around this ship?!!??!" 

~   
A grueling two hours was spent in Faye's room, discussing the events in which Faye replied, 'Yeah right?!', when Spike and Jet spoke of it. It was almost amusing to find Faye very close-minded of what had happened to her, asking many questions along the explanation to its end. Half of the time, she stared in disbelief and awe at the times when she had tried to kill Spike. Of course shortly after she laughed amusingly. 

"I kicked you in the face!" she shoved her face at him in glee, absorbing Spike's look of resent, "How'd that feel, cowboy?" 

Spike chose to ignore this, knowing he had a few events to talk about that could greatly embarrass her, "I had to carry your fat butt to your room!" 

The throwing of insults in the room laid a comfortable air of normality, and even Ed, who came from the starboard after programming the Bebop to Earth as Jet requested, tumbled around aimlessly in the occasion. 

Thirty more minutes had passed before Jet escaped to his Bonsai room, and Faye, Spike, and Ed were the only ones left in her room. Seeing that Faye looked painfully sore and tired, Spike had insisted her to rest. Faye didn't disagree, and happily nodded while Ed was dragged out of her room by Spike, as she waved at her. 

"Nighty-nighty, Faye-Faye! Sleepy-tighty! Have a good-nighty!" 

Luckily to have her cuffs off, the strange questioning of why she couldn't remember anything before finding herself in Spike's arm earlier on, and that her room was free from Ed, she laid comfortably on her bed; closing her eyes to sleep a good sleep. 

Three hours, maybe, and she awoke with a start. Her head began to throb as she lifted it from her pillows and gazed around unsurely. Her room was dark, with a small tight light escaping in from the bottom of her door that stung her blurred eyes as she blinked sleep away. 

Something in her sleep had woke her; something from her dreams. It came in her mind that maybe it was just another one of her memories cloaked as a 'nightmare' and sighed disappointedly for she knew thinking more of it was ultimately impossible. But, once her train of thought drifted along her words, she saw an image flash in her mind. She hesitantly played the image back in her mind, as if rewinding the picture over and over and over again. 

Before she knew it, her mind began to dwell further into the picture as it moved in play... 

.. of a memory.   
  


**~review pleaze~**   


**On the next chapter:**   
************************************

Punch: Howdy Amigos! Time for another round-up of preview shorts for** It all Started with the Fat Guy**! 

Judy: Howdy ya'll! Looks like our first time here, isn't that right Punch? 

Punch: That's right, Judy! You crazy ditz, you! Check this out, cowboys, we've got another cliffhanger! 

Judy: Auw! Not another one! 

Punch: Don't worry, bimbo! This chapter is the ending of **All brain, and no heart**, and the next chapter is indeed the beginning of the session known as **Hard Luck Woman!**

Judy: Oh really?! That's great! 

Punch: Yeah, ain't it the spiffiest thing??? 

Judy: *starts jumping up and down* It is! *calms down and looks thoughtfull* But wait, what's Strifey up to? 

Punch: *shrugs* No clue! The woman has been up on her knees in shi-**bleep-**! 

Judy: Oh.. how sad! *fakes a tear* But hey! Let's go interview her anyways! 

*Strife21 walks in unwillingly* 

Punch: Howdy Strife! What's your plan for the next chapter? 

Judy: Yes, please tell us! We are excited to know! 

Strife21: *flips them the bird* 

Judy: Oh I think she's telling us we're number one! How nice! 

Punch: *sweatdrop, sweatdrop* Err.. can you at least give us the title, Strife? ..please? It's our only time on here, man! 

Judy: Yes, after all **_you're #1_**! *flips the bird back to Strife21* 

Strife21: e.e ............. *punches Judy* 

Judy: *down and out* 

Bell: DING! DING! 

Punch: *sweatdrop* Hey Strife, come on eh? We got a show to do, and your readers want to know what's next. 

Readers (you guys): *nods fast* 

Strife21: ..............."**The untold story of the ugly duckling**" 

Punch: And there you have it folks! The next chapter: **"The untold story of the ugly duckling"**! 

Strife21: *walks away* 

Punch: Catch you later, cowboys! Even though you'll never hear from us again! 

Judy: *face down on the floor, giggling at the sight of her blood* Hey! My lipstick is running! I didn't know I put this much on! 

Punch: *sweatdrop* Aye dios mio... 

**_~laterz, cowboy....~_**   


short a/n: _Aye dios mio = "Oh Lord..." _in Spanish translation. @.@ see how helpful I am? lol.   
  
  
  
  


****ATTENTION FANFIC WRITERS! YOUR FANFIC MAY BE PLAGERIZED!****   
**I was recently searching places where my fanfics have been placed in (a routine I do just to make sure people aren't stealing any of mine or others) and I came around a Russian site, which contains plagerized work from me and others.**

**[ http://valentine.by.ru/fanf.htm ]**

**Between the brackets is the site address I found.**   
**I know you may be thinking, "How do you know?! You can't even read this thing!" Well with the way they placed the fanfics (which some of them are re-named differently) they are listed with the title in english, then Russian subject, then a name (I assume is an author name). My "Cowboy Bebop Chat" fic is in here, un-creatively named "Chat Room #2", and this person must have been very stupid to leave the line that Faye says, that had my author name in it. That's how I came across it on the first place :P. Anyways, there is another one, Russian also, and if you'd like the link for that one, IM me on Aol Instant Messenger or email me about it and I would happily give it up.**

**PLEASE TAKE A LOOK AT THE SITE AND SEE IF YOUR FIC IS PLAGERIZED!**

**Also, if any of you can understand the Russian, please tell me!**

**Thank you.**


	12. The Untold Story of the Ugly Duckling p...

A/N: @.@ auw... three chapters until the **UNMISTAKINGLY-HORRIBLE ENDING**! (not including the occasional part 1's and 2's)   
..Naw, it won't be that bad. I decided to be less evil with it :P. Anyways, pretty much the chapters from now on until the end will be either angsty, dramatic, or mushy with the love stuff. Enjoy it while it lasts! 

**Special thanks to:**   
**Lady Razorsharp**- Wow! I think that's the first I had from you, and I'm very glad you loved it! And I'm glad you liked my version of Brain Scratch.. wasn't quite sure if it was good enough, really ^_^;   
**AniGirl 7 **- Oh my! A cheer for me!...and Ed! xD Thanks so much!   
**oblivious** - You could actually read that page o.o! Oh but don't you think it's a bit suspicious that they didn't at least leave my author's notes in the beginning of my fic where it had all the translations of which screen name belonged to who? Or even saying that it was my fanfic? The only names I've seen were either 'Mooncat' or 'Zero' or something like that.   
**Fire Mistress** - A best story? Mine? *_* why sanku! lol   
**Jcool7689** - Hey thanks for the comment! I'm glad you thought it was amazing! Sanku~   
**Cowgirl13** - Auw thanks so much! Yeah.. pretty fishy those Russians.. can't be too careful nowadays *grumble grumble*   
**Stella the Warrior** - I'm glad you liked the slow romance, I just love making them so painstakingly long to wait *tee-hee* Well, this chapter is a bit short and because you've already read the whole thing, I guess this won't take you as much time to read lol. Enjoy! (by the way, it would be cowgirl lol)   
**Autophage** - What an honor! You're first Cowboy Bebop fic *jumps around in joy* I'm so happy you liked it! But there are many other great fanfics out there @.@ search on! There are a lot of great authors in the Cowboy Bebop section ^_^. Spike, die? *shakes head* Nuu-nu-nu... that's already been seen and done so... ^_~ (hehe.. I just gave out a hint xD)   
**Sukera** - Hiya! Your wish just came true! I have updated as fast as I can xD! I'm so honored to be claimed talented by you ^_^ *whee* Ooh, I think I'll check out your fic!   
  


Mwahahahaha-*cough cough*-ha! 

_Italics - thoughts/memories/flashbacks_   
  


**The Untold Story of the Ugly Duckling: part One**   


_"Aren't you excited? It's a trip around the moon!"_

_"I am! I can't believe my father got us this free ride up there! ...Can you imagine? Space!"_

_"It's going to be wonderful... nothing but the deep void and the billions of stars..."_

_"It's going to be so romantic... because you're around.."_

**_||_**

She was staring elsewhere, he spotted, as morning broke into the day and their routine eating of breakfast, consisting of instant noodles in shitake soup, was in action, and all of the ship's tenants ate in the living quarters. He inspected that the woman seemed to be focused on the blunt end of her wooden chopsticks, though her mind's focus was elsewhere. He was keen to pick up the certain quietness in her this morning, but didn't find it that peculiar. The woman had in fact just come out of a long brainwashing event last night, which left her confused for half of the time during the explanation. Maybe, he thought, she was just too tired. 

"You want any more?" he looked over to her, catching her eyes instantly, and motioned his chopsticks to the large bowl of noodles in the middle of the table. 

"No.. no thanks, I still got plenty," she answered hesitantly, annoyed that the attention she placed elsewhere was wrenched from her mind. Of course she was being quiet this morning, and with new, almost emotional reason; not that they would ever understand. She was afraid of what had been opened to her the night before, and she didn't expect it would shock her so much to make her start acting oddly around her comrades. That and question their ability to understand her. Though the truth has now been seen by her, she could sense her soul enlighten, maybe glow with the feeling of completeness. After all, why not? She was after this since she woke up from the cold sleep. 

She found only one bad thing about it: What would she do now? 

The man across her was becoming skeptical. He wasn't stupid; he had asked her if she wanted more because her bowl had barely any left. Now her peculiar actions were starting to pick on his curiosity as well as his nerves. He wondered what she was hiding, or even if she is hiding something from them. He couldn't understand or think up of what she could be keeping away from him, but he could sense by the way she seemed drifted away once again, that the problem, or whatever it may be, is very serious and personal, and it wasn't his style to meddle into people's business unless asked for. So he played 'the ignorant' and kept quiet, slurping now and then as he sucked the thin noodles through his lips. 

|| 

_"It's shaking! ..is that normal?"_

_"The ship is just taking off.. don't be afraid Faye.."_

_"hehehe.. Sorry.. I guess I'm kind of nervous.. I mean, what if--!"_

_"No, nothing's going to happen. Don't worry, Faye, I'll save you."_

_||_

"Oh god..." her right palm slapped her forehead; the scene causing all eyes to her. Besides the eyes which burned at her in question, a new feeling of sick sloshing came to the pit of her stomach; she knew she had to get out of the room, even if her act would cause more attention than she would want. She stood up quickly, shading her face with a palm of her hand as she exited the room without another word. 

"Uh..Faye, what's wrong?" Jet asked as the woman passed by, but he got no answer. 

Immediately, Spike stood up and went after her, following her towards the dark corridor, curious as to why she was going towards her room so quickly. 

|| 

_"Wow.. we're so high up!"_

_"Look at Earth, Faye."_

_"It's so.... so blue..."_

_"It won't be soon until we get to see the moon. It's going to be great."_

_"When I get married.. I want to get married here, in space, overlooking Earth.."_

_".....We could do that Faye."_

_||_

She shoved the duffel bag from her small closet and to her bed, quickly taking down all her clothes and belongings and stuffing them inside it. She didn't notice the man standing on her doorway, watching quietly. 

|| 

_"So what do you think of space, Faye?"_

_"It's paradise. I wonder why people took this long to create spaceships. So many people back in the past don't know what they're missing."_

_"The moon is beautiful. Look out your window, Faye."_

_"Oh my.... I've changed my mind! That's where I want to get married... That's where--"_

_-----------------------------------------------_

_"Are you okay?"_

_-----------------------------------------------_

_"Faye?"_

_-----------------------------------------------_

_"Faye!"_

_||_

It had surprised him when a strangled sob escaped her lips and her shoulders shook, perhaps it would be a good time for him to ask. 

"Faye?" he kept his voice soothing, cool, concerned. 

The woman turned around, surprised to see the man, and quickly brushed an arm across her face before turning back to her bag, "What do you want?" 

At first he didn't answer, instead he welcomed himself inside and walked to her side, where she stopped her packing to stare at her bag. 

"Going on a trip?" he didn't want to get into the real problem too quickly, afraid that he would scare her away. 

She shook her head uncomfortably, her tinted cheeks mildly stained with wetness, "No.. actually.. I think I'm going to leave." 

The words which escaped her lips seemed to stung him in a way that he knew somehow he never liked. He was trying to find the words to say, if only his mind could register what phrase or with what emotion he should say it in. So he stood still, watching as the woman continue to pack, and it wasn't until the zipper of the duffel bag made contact to the other end that his throat found voice. 

"Why?" 

She threw a strap on a shoulder and turned to him with eyes of despair, "I've.. I've got to find something," she sighed at Spike's gaze; it seemed to infatuate her in an adorable way, so she had to turn elsewhere, "I can't tell you.. what it is, but when I find it.. I don't know.. maybe I'll come back." 

Not waiting for a comment or reply, she stepped ahead in front of him and lifted her feet to plant a small kiss on his cheek, "See you later, cowboy." and with that, she departed out the door and to the hanger. 

It wasn't until the heavy rumbling of the Redtail's engine that he decided he didn't want her to go. He had prepared hard to change for her, and swore to himself that he would, and just when he was going to start doing what he started, she had to leave. Besides, he hadn't felt the need to bring closeness between him and or another since he met Julia. Faye was the second person that made him want to know what life was about, and what his life was all about. He thought ahead in the future, how he would feel and be like when he loses another person who he was grateful to have around in all his life, and didn't find the scenes in front of him any bearable. 

"Wait Faye-Faye!! Take Edward with you! Edward likes Faye-Faye!" the orange haired kid came sprinting down the hanger, reaching it faster than Spike did as he stood there and watched the large hanger doors close shut. A small, saddened moan escaped the young girl's lips as she cried out to Faye; cry out with the same emotion as Spike would. 

"Come back, Faye-Faye! Don't leave Edward!" 

|| 

-"Emerald Bar".Earth.2 hours later.- 

"Ungrateful.. we give her hospitality all those times and one day, she decides to run off without reason," Jet mumbled as he peered down on his fifth shot of vodka, "Here I thought she changed at least a bit... Can't believe her.. the nerve," he kicked his left foot, almost knocking the small dog under his stool. 

"Jet, you don't know what you're talking about," said the man beside him, his tufts of green hair drooped lowly over his glazed eyes, "The woman's just.. confused or something. Something after last night must have come back to her and maybe that brainwashing effect didn't wear.. off..." he forced his round of vodka down his throat before angrily slamming its end against the bar, "Dammit! **I** don't even know what I'm talking about!" 

Ed sat beside the green haired man, her feet dangling from the stool while she hummed a quiet tune that pretty much kept her usually loud mouth busy. The tune wasn't bouncy or happy though, it was more like a tune a funeral would play. It had a lot of low and long notes, that seemed to fall fast to the floor and scrape across the dirt until someone stepped on it and put it out of its misery. 

Two more shots were poured to both of the older men; the bar man giving them a short warning about women as he passed by. 

"This woman seemed to have caused big damage in your ship this morning. I tell you, women like that are everywhere." 

In Spike's mind, the bar man was far from truth with his last phrase. Women like her aren't everywhere, "Women like Faye.. there's not much of them around." 

"Thank god," Jet commented from his side and sucked in his shot before motioning for another one. 

"There's only one Faye," Spike continued, staring past his glass of intoxicating liquid, "One Faye in this whole damn universe, and she's the only Faye I need," he spoke the last words softly, probably still timid to admit it so openly to people. It was true though, despite the way he always acts around her, he had always kept her somewhere special in his mind and heart. He sat up crookedly and pointed a long finger at the bar man, eyeing him suspiciously, "And don't you get the idea that I want her out my life because that already happened to me with a different girl, and I'll tell you that after living the way I did all this time, I learned a great lesson." 

The bar man hesitated to ask, "And what was that?" 

Spike placed his finger down, swigged his drink down his throat, and stood up to leave, "I didn't say I knew it just yet, I still have to find out whether or not I passed." 

|| 

The azure sky began to tint into orange; glowing like an almost burned out light bulb in a dark alley. It was sunset now and light was streaming past her eyes in the way she had always remembered as a child growing up by the sea. The sun, as it was swallowed past the sea's horizon, would illuminate against the reflection of the glass-like, calm waters, and create a spectral of blue-orange brightness to the cooling sand below her feet. 

The feelings she now felt became enjoyable to her, almost as if it could replace her air itself. It was a thing she remembered from way back when, and it was a feeling she had longed for all her life in this age of time. Yet, standing alone in the sand where her neighborhood once stood nearby, was all too empty. Something was missing, though she doubted anything else in her life was. But it was not her mind to think so, but her soul. 

Nevertheless, she shrugged it off and continued her way to retrace her whole past as she walked up the long, white, dissolving cement road to where she remembered her home once stood. 

|| 

He walked around the streets with a spectating gait; a young girl with an almost identical hair-do glumly stride beside him, singing the same tune from the bar. He had to admit, ever since Faye left, Ed had changed dramatically. It was as if Ed had lost a mother, or a sister. The song that escaped the young girl's lips was still low and sad, and it was now decorated with moans of "Oh Faye-Faye.." 

"Ed, would you be quiet," Spike snapped after walking down the fourth block, "If you want to come with me, then you better just stop singing that stupid song." 

"Edward's not singing..." the girl replied in a low voice, her head bowed down. 

"Humming! Same thing.." 

"Edward's not humming, either," the girl shook her head and slumped her shoulders forward, "Edward is crying... crying because Edward misses Faye-Faye lots." 

He could feel annoyance flickering in the back of his head, but the girl's words had caught his throat and kept him from speaking. He could understand what the girl was feeling, for he was feeling them just the same. But he never carried the gift to act out most of his feelings. They continued to walk in silence; five, six blocks until they reached a risen street with an unbelievable view of the sea. 

There they stopped, looking over the setting sun. Glancing over to the girl, Spike regretted to tell her to be quiet; the face she wore wasn't Ed-like at all. 

"I'm sorry, Ed, go ahead and sing." 

"Edward won't sing.. Edward will cry," the girl replied stiffly and continued on with her song, changing the notes with the way the waters of the sea drifted slowly on the sand below the small cliff. 

For the first time of the day, Spike let out a small smile in ironic amusement as Ed's song drowned his head with thoughts of failure and forever misery. 

|| 

Her feet carried her up the long road lethargically; the gravity of the area ahead seemed to pull her to it. 

The long walls of gray shale on both sides of the street was beginning to become recognizable to her eyes, and her feet began to pound heavily into the road as they moved faster up the street. 

She could picture the days she spent running up the same street as she came home from school, from her friend's, and from the beach. She can hear it now, how she would squeal in delight as she ran, singing the songs that her mother would often play on the piano, or rambling her own made up words and babbling them into a song. Her feet weren't heavy now, they were getting lighter as she picked up more speed; her breaths coming into excited pants as the air around her lungs tightened. 

Somehow, at some part of the street, she felt she was only half way until she reached her home. A sudden memory of having to often hold her cap or hat atop her head, came in mind, and unconsciously a hand lifted over her head to rest on top of her dark violet locks. She remembered, this was around the time her feet would pick up more speed as she raced home. And her feet did just that. 

She sped faster, like she was running a marathon and is at first place while the finish line stood only yards away. Her eyes blurred a little in her vision as tears surfaced her eyes at the sight of an exterior wall and an open gate. Behind it stood a large mansion, still white as the road path she ran on, with a grand fountain in its front yard. 

This was all too familiar, she thought, and wondered how the house could still be standing after so long. 

It wasn't until she felt her breath calm and her feet relax that the vision of her perfectly kept home was only a mirage from her memories. Tears that threatened her eyes, poured without warning, as the structure of her home before her was nothing more than a 2-D outline of what was once her past. Her hand moved to hold the rail of the rusted gate as she held it tightly in pain; her home was gone. 

She had no home; it was gone. 

"Faye?" 

She caught a glimpse of a figure inside the rubble of her home; a figure which opened her eyes and dwelled something more into her mind. She knew the person, and questioned whether or not he was only a mirage. After all.. he had died with her that day. 

From the small darkness created by the still standing exterior wall, stood a man with pale blue eyes and smoky hair, which stood elegantly straight on top of his head. He came out from the dark, the orange light touching his skin silkily, and came to the front of the gate with a very shocked expression. 

"Faye?" he tried again, seeing if the woman was in fact real, and he wasn't at all hallucinating. 

Faye gripped the rail on the gate tighter and clenched her teeth, "You're not real.. why do you keep showing up! Just go away! You're not real!" evidently she thought the same for him. He wasn't the real person she knew long ago, she concluded in her mind, he was gone. Everything in her past was gone. 

Hesitantly, the man placed a hand over hers on the railing; both of them felt the warmness of the other, and their eyes glued together in disbelief. 

"You're here, Faye? You're alive.." the boy took his hand back and roughly pulled the rusted gate from its hinges; the bolts snapped off easily as he did. He didn't let the woman answer him as he grasped her into a crushing embrace; his eyes of sliver-blue tearing from happiness, "I knew you were alive! They told me, three years ago! And I found you! I did!" 

It took her a while to absorb the scene until her eyes teared up once more as she choked out the name of the man whom she remembered to have loved, 

"Marcus.."   


**To be continued....**   
  


**~review pleaze~**   


**On the next chapter:**   
************************************

Strife21: Dear readers, if I may, I will take this time to explain our newest character.. Marcus. *pulls Marcus in* 

Marcus: ...... 

Strife21: *suddenly dressed up as a reporter and shoves a microphone in front of Marcus face* So, Marcus, explain yourself. 

Marcus: Well-*feedback* ....o.o;; -ahem- Well I'm Faye's rightful lover. 

Strife21: *nods* Right, right... 

Marcus: o.o;;... and um.. I was briefly introduced in the chapter "**Feng Shue? What the heck is it? p.2**".... 

Strife21: Uh-huh... and who were you in that chapter? 

Marcus: I was the man in the shuttle ship, sitting next to Faye... 

Strife21: Right, right... *nods* So you are from her past, am I correct? 

Marcus: Well.. you would have to be, wouldn't you? I mean you are the auth- 

Strife21: *interrupts* Answer the question please. 

Marcus: O.o;; um of course I am. 

Strife21: Right.. *nods* So do you know what will happen in the next chapter? 

Marcus: um.. you told me not to say... 

Strife21: ......*turns quickly to the readers* "**The Untold Story of the Ugly Duckling part 2**" is next. Stay tuned readers, we are about finished with this tragic story. 

Marcus: ..can I continue hugging Faye now? 

Strife21: ~.~ .. just don't hug for too long.. I know I made you up and all, and Faye was your girlfriend in the past, but this story is still F/S. 

Marcus: ;_; *sniff* ..right...   


**~laterz, cowboy....~**


	13. The Untold Story of the Ugly Duckling p...

A/N: Very sorry this came out late. It was planned to come out the previous Sunday (12/22/02) I believe, but we had relatives and I never had the time to re-write some parts, re-read them, or even get it up in ffnet. Sorry again, and here's the long awaited chapter. Hope you enjoy!   


PS: Thanks to those who are always determined for me to get a chapter uploaded, and had told me by either email or AIM. I hope this request of a new chapter is not a disappointment ^_^   
  


**The Untold Story of the Ugly Duckling: part Two**   
  


_--"All human things are subject to decay._   
_ And when fate summons, monarchs must obey"_   
_ -_Excerpt from "Mac Flecknoe": John Dryden--   


|| 

Earth carried this impression that was close to the feeling that everything was natural. Take example the rain that poured down the sides of the metal fishing ship, and lashed out on its windows. It was real, and uncontrolled by humans, unlike many of the other planets he had visited with cities in domes with the ability to produce whatever weather from the inside. 

Sometimes he wished earth should have been his childhood home. Mars never created this 'homey' feeling in him every time he visits, and as far as he can remember, Mars carried more bad times than good times in his whole life than any other place. 

"Faye-Faye was from Earth, did you know? Edward knew because Faye-Faye told her," it was like the young girl used some weird psychic ability in his mind, and he turned to her with a questioning glance. 

"Ed... how'd you know I was thinking about Earth?" 

The young girl raised her head to him with a friendly smile, "Spike-person keeps muttering: 'Earth, guh', like Spike-person hates Earth for some reason." 

He gave her a brief smile before turning back to the blackened skies and the natural rain it produced, "Didn't know I was saying it out loud.." 

A pause followed his words before Ed sighed and sloppily sat in the seat of the cockpit, "Edward is from Earth too, you know? Earth is Edward's home," she bit her bottom lip before she slouched in her seat. 

Removing his glance from the window, Spike turned around and leaned against the wall to look over to the young girl on the seat nearby, "Do you have a home here, Ed?" 

Ed casually raised a hand in the air and waved a 'so-so' gesture. 

"Got anyone waiting for you there?" 

Twirling her chair around, she moved so that she was not facing Spike anymore, Ed replied in a small voice, "Papa..." 

Spike placed a small smile in his calm face as he fixed his stance, "Then what are you doing here, Ed? Faye's gone to see if she can find something, and this is her home planet, so she's probably trying to find her family. Why aren't you doing the same, Ed?" 

Ed spun the chair back to face him, and stood up with a pout, "Is Spike-person kicking Edward out of the Bebop?" 

"No, that's not what I'm saying..." he reached for his pack of cigarettes and lit one up before repeating his question, "What I mean is everyone's got a home, Ed, and you've got one on this planet. So why aren't you going off to find it while you have the chance?" 

"Because..." Ed began as her voice once again quieted, "The Bebop is Edward's home." 

Spike's eyes turned into a dull surprise as he gazed at the girl. 

"Even if Earth is Edward's original home, Edward thinks the Bebop is a better home for her," she petted Ein as he whined for attention, "Edward likes it better here than anywhere else. Not even with Papa." 

He found himself looking at Ed in a new perspective. Not only did he think she was a little eccentric than the average female teenager, but she had an innocent heart that was filled with so much gratitude, that even him or Jet couldn't go up against. As his eyes met up with hers, they came to a silent understanding before leaving each other's to gaze at the sudden flash of light from the window outside. 

"Do you think Faye-Faye will come back? The Bebop is her home too, right?" 

Every time he heard her name, he could feel a stab inside him that he tried to ignore, "I don't know, Ed." 

He could hear Ed behind him give out a whiny grumble before lifting herself from the seat and running out of the room, leaving him by himself in the cold cock pit room. He gave a wary sigh and muttered to himself, "I really hope so.." 

|| 

She watched as the man hustled behind her, fixing blankets and cushions on the floor while she sat still in front of the wood-burning fire. Her eyes moved as he moved to the other side of her, fixing his own blankets and cushions before turning to her in realization. 

"Oh geez, how could I be so clumsy as to forget!" quickly, he rushed out where the light of the fire didn't touch and where more slabs of rubble laid, and came back with a thick blanket. Carefully he bent down and wrapped her with it; a smile carried in his toned face as he looked down at his fine work of hospitality. 

Faye couldn't help but let her cheeks burn slightly in embarrassment, "Thanks.." 

He made his way to the other side of the fire where he sat down and replied to her with a 'No problem'. 

She tightened the blanket around her as the breeze from the rain began its way in the small tent Marcus had made from the large standing slabs of concrete the rubble of her past home still held. It was quiet, as far as voices inside the tent, as she listened to the soft pattering of rain drops hit the plastic covering of their shelter. Her eyes wandered around the marble floor beneath her, and wondered how the man across from her was able to still be here in this time period when..... 

"Bet you're pretty confused right now," Marcus spoke, catching her eyes as he nodded and smiled, "I'll explain to you if you'd like? Or maybe you'd rather wait because you look like you need rest." 

"No.. no, please explain," Faye said in a rush, unable to stand the nagging in her mind about how Marcus was here, and looking as young as he was 50 years ago. 

"Well..." he took the stick nearby and prodded the fire as he stared at it, "I was in that shuttle accident with you that day... and I did die too. No one made it." 

Faye looked up at him to see if his words affected him any sorrow, but she was unable to retrieve any emotion as he kept his eyes to the orange glow of the fire. 

"But the difference from you that I had was, they were actually able to revive me. They said you suffered too much internal damage and such; it was impossible to replace them all correctly in such a quick time," he sighed and removed the stick from the fire and placed it down a safe distance from the fire pit, "You're parents were pretty devastated, and they went for anything brought up by professional doctors. Unfortunately none of them worked, and your body was beginning to fade out fast." 

She scrunched her nose at the thought of her corpse decomposing, "So then, how did they come to putting me in cyro sleep?" 

Marcus turned to her from his view of the fire and smiled, "My father was this specialized agent from the United States Government back then, and he dealt with 'hush-hush' stuff. He suggested to place you under cryogenics that they are testing, and that if placed there until the medical science advanced, maybe you'd be able to live again. Of course, your parents agreed after paying a hefty amount of money and signing some confidential papers along with it." 

Faye nodded, indicating she understood it now, but still her question from the start was unanswered, "But how did you get here, in my time, as if you were cryogenically frozen also?" 

Tossing another log into the pit, Marcus stared back at the blazing fire as he spoke, "Well, when your parents decided to put you into cyro-sleep, their worries still didn't stop. They were afraid of what will happen to you in the future, and if the cyro-sleep did induce you with temporary amnesia, what would you do? So... I volunteered to be cryogenically frozen along with you, so that I'd be able to look out for you when you wake up." 

A flash of lightning struck from the outside of their tent as Faye looked up at him as he smiled at the fire, "We were supposed to wake up together, but as you can tell now, the doctors made a little mistake. I woke up a year before you did, and I had the effects of mild amnesia, but I still remembered you when I woke up. I kept asking them to look for your name on the list; Faye Lan, but they wouldn't even listen to me. They kept saying that I was being all delusional or something, thinking I was making up my story of how we were frozen together. 

"They kicked me out of the hospital a few days later, after I was clarified in good condition, and I was also banned from that hospital," Marcus gave a short chuckle, "I think I pissed them off after trying to break back in a few times." 

Faye also let out a quiet chuckle, "So you tried to tell them to wake me up at the same time you did.. Instead I woke up a year later, and got scammed by some doctor because I had amnesia, right?" 

Marcus gazed over to her with a sad smile, "Yeah, I'm really sorry about that. I only heard about you days after you left the hospital with that large amount of debt on your shoulders. I tried to contact you, but I found out you became a con artist and traveled all over. You were too fast for me to catch up with. I even sent you a videotape, and I never found out if you got it." 

"I did get it.. but it wasn't any help back then. But Marcus.. you don't have to be sorry. It wasn't your fault," she reassured sympathetically. 

"No, I think it really was my fault. I mean, I was the one who told you about the shuttle rides... and I wasn't there when you needed me when I should have been," he sighed and shifted his legs front of him before his guilty eyes moved to the fire once more. Faye kept quiet in her side as she felt sorrow for the man and her words couldn't even make him know that she didn't hold anything against him. 

"I swear though, Faye, I'll make it up to you," he locked eyes on her with determination, "I'll fix everything." 

|| 

It rained still in the morning, as they set foot back into the town. The two of them, striding along side each other, comforted that the other one was still existing. 

"Did you know? You still have a standing family inheritance. It's located in the New Pacifica area, and I've been tending to it from time to time." 

Faye turned to him with a smile as she adjusted her hood over her, covering her head from any rain, "You mean the summer house? It's still there? ...wow.." 

Marcus pulled her gently towards him as a car sped by her side of the sidewalk, saving her from getting splashed on by a puddle nearby, "I know. I was surprised also, but when I managed to get files of our families from some fellow hackers, I found that house was still living and currently closed to anyone... except for you, of course," he smiled lightly as he noticed the woman flush from his actions and slowly let her arm go, "I seem to make you uncomfortable at times. I'm sorry, I guess I must be thinking ahead of myself for hoping that everything that was before, is still the same now." 

Sinking into a deeper hole of guilt, Faye casually took hold of his hand, knowing that her friend meant nothing but good intentions, "The same as it was before: You are still my best friend." 

Marcus looked over to her, his smile wavering with unnoticeable remorse. After a short time of silence, he nodded to her and continued to lead on their walk. 

|| 

"Where are you off to now?" 

Jet moved from the doorway of the kitchen as soon as he had seen a tall figure with green hair walk up the steps towards the hanger. He noticed that the man had a terribly dull look in his face; not wearing his usual navy shirt over his yellow. 

"Earth's got good bars, you know? I don't know why I never noticed it before now..... That's where I'm heading off." 

The disappointed Jet breathed a sigh, "Spike..." 

He paused as he watched the other man turn his sober face to him with an expectant look. It was becoming irritating, Jet noticed, how the man he supposedly knew to be such a balanced individual suddenly turn towards depression over a shipmate. Well, not just any shipmate, Jet guessed, and yet the actions Spike produced in and out of the ship ever since yesterday was beyond a normal brooding. 

"I got us a bounty in Venus. We're leaving tonight." 

Jet studied his comrade's face; not a disapproving look, or an angered expression in sight. 

"We really need the money, Spike. This bounty's a pretty good deal." 

And Jet watched as the tall man head out without any words or actions; not even the usual, yet sufficient nod of acknowledgment to his words. 

It wasn't the same anymore since Faye's leaving. He'd never thought such a bold move from the female ex-boarder could bring the whole Bebop morality to the ground. He noticed in Ed, who sat nearby by Ein humming quietly to herself; and Spike, who hasn't really spoken to him since he came back from the walk with Ed last night; and he noticed it in himself. His deludement to the situation was latent through the expression of his face, and yet as Ed stared at him blankly, apologetically in her chair, it was futile for him to not agree that it was there. 

"Ed, wanna' look up someone for me? It's this bounty in Venus." 

The girl shook her head lazily and continued to pet the resting dog on her lap, "Edward doesn't want to today, Jet-person. Edward would like to skip this one out." 

Jet let out a grunt and scratched his bald top, "Looks like you don't want to leave tonight either, eh?" 

The girl began to hum once more, disregarding the question as she paid her attention to the data dog, leaving Jet to stand in silence and in thought. 

|| 

It continued to rain lightly as he walked up the dark streets of the small town area. It was already seven at night, and he had visited well over ten bars since the morning. He didn't know why he was visiting so much because he didn't drink in every one of them, instead it seemed like he sat in them for a good hour waiting. Waiting for someone to appear out of nowhere, or waiting and expecting for someone who knew him to be there. 

Or maybe he was kidding himself; maybe he was searching and not waiting. Searching for a person who he wanted to see again. Searching and hoping maybe behind those glass-stained doors, sits a figure near the bar whom he needed to talk to. 

This contemplating feeling, the feeling of not being good enough for someone, it was new. He hadn't felt anything near to it since Julia left him unexpectedly long ago, and even the feeling he had then couldn't compare to this. He wondered if he really did fall for Faye. Seriously, and not just because he felt close to her in the beginning of it all. He knew for sure that her lack in presence in the Bebop was giving him some sort of pain, and that the reason was moot. 

He respected her decision to leave and to search for her past, and yet he stood tenaciously in stance for her to come back for her promise was not credible enough. He wanted her to say she **will **come back; not she might. That wasn't good enough. 

Strongly, he hated her promise of maybe coming back. Like it jeered at him to suffer from wonder and wait. 

Striking against those feelings he felt towards Faye, at the same time he hated her. Hated her for having a past she had; hated her for leaving; hated her for not considering his announced liking to her; hated her for not announcing it back to him. 

There was so much things he wanted to confess to hate her about, and yet he only thought up of things that he hated about her because she was all that was in his mind. And he thought to himself how he could live with a mind who ran marathons of discombobulated emotions of love and hate. How long was he supposed to keep up the balance between the two? how long will it last? 

His thoughts couldn't be more distracted as his ears picked up distant gunshots down the way he walked. His eyes moving in front of him, a fair distance away were two figures: one ducked behind garbage cans near the turn of the alley, and the other behind the wall which ran from his left. He stopped in his tracks as he watched one figure arch over one of the steel bins and shoot to two cars that passed circles around the street. The shooter seemed to have a knack at aim as two wheels of one of the black cars was disabled and the car spun into an opposite building. The other car had taken notice of it, and was now careful to the shots that the shooter was taking to them. 

Spike pulled out his gun cautiously as the figure behind the garbage cans had finished the ammo in the gun, and ducked back down to reload. He walked a couple of feet forward slowly as he watched the black car sped by and by, shooting rounds of bullets to the two figures. He hid behind a different alley and pointed his Jericho towards a constant spot that the car sped by on. He didn't know who these people where, but he figured that it wouldn't hurt to help either of them. And besides, he could tell who the black cars belonged to, and the Syndicate wasn't anyone he was very fond of. 

He couldn't tell it in his view, but through his ears he could hear the riders of the black car begin to throw riddles of bullets towards only the person behind the garbage cans. After a moment of deafening shots, he heard a small cry, and heard the figure behind the wall on the left side yell the name of his company who hid by alley. 

And the name made him run. 

|| 

"Faye!" 

Sweat began to accumulate all over her as the random bullet dug on her back. For a moment, her vision blurred and darkened, and she knew she was going to pass out. She breathed angrily and squinted hard before she stood to her feet, her gun shaking in one hand, and she began to shoot in raging hell. Every time her gun recoiled with her abnormal rapid shots, her back gave out an enormous knock of pain, and she could feel herself weaken with every used shell that came out of her gun. And in her rampage, she missed her targets on the wheels, and still she was determined to kill the bastards who popped out of nowhere, trying to ruin her day. 

Just then, she heard the terrible sound of the empty clicks of her gun, and her eyes moved to the surviving black car speed around once more, this time one rider stood out of the sun roof of the vehicle, pointing a heavy gun to her. The man aimed at her with a grin, and she gritted her teeth at him as he pulled the trigger. 

And it was like a videotape in slow motion, where the rocket that burst through the heavy gun was spiraling towards her, and she stared at it helpless, angry. And then it came like a rush as she was pulled aside in a more or less fashionable way for her injured back, and she didn't notice the man who held her between the wall and his body of the opposite wall, or the explosion of garbage cans flying high into the air in reds and oranges. 

"Faye! Is she all right?" she took note that the voice was from Marcus who stood nearby, and not near her. Now she was intent to who the person was, and she was afraid as she hesitantly opened her eyes and viewed the sight of Spike standing before her. He looked down at her in silent concern and relief, and she eyed him as if he was her savior. 

Snapping back into situation as the rider who shot the rocket at her called for a new one, drew a sharp intake of breath as her back shivered in pain and groped her hand over Spike's Jericho, taking it away from with no permission. 

"What the hell are you doing?" 

She ignored him as she pushed her way out of his arms, pushed herself through the worried Marcus, and stood back into the open of the shooter of the rocket launcher. She aimed her gun as the rider had started to aim at her. 

"You annoying son of a bitch!" and shot, perfectly hitting the man in between his eye sockets. The feeling she received was satisfying, and felt herself relax as her knees fell to the floor. Once again her sight flashed into darkness, then an off-color view of her surroundings. She moved her eyes to her side, noticing the large drops of blood that leaked through her back create monstrous puddles on the floor. 

Then she heard yelling, and saw guns being pointed to her by another rider of the previous black car. She saw it, and could have lifted her hand with Spike's Jericho, and aimed and fired. Yet her arms felt like string, and tiredness became evident as her eyes continued to flash oddities of black, white, and neon. 

And as if time sped a few moments into the future, a body enclosed around her, shielding her hopeless self from the bullets that rounded on the person's back. Tears formed in her eyes at what was happening, and she couldn't believe it. She didn't want to. 

Off to her side, Spike rolled and quickly grabbed the laying Jericho and began to shoot back to the black car, succeeding in hitting the shooter and driver, and the car spun uncontrollably as it crashed near the already burning vehicle. 

She couldn't hear anything, or maybe she just didn't want to, but all she knew was that sitting there hopelessly, or even trying to relieve her anger when she stole the Jericho from Spike and went off to kill, was a shameful act that she hated herself to have done now. She gave sob as she moved her hands around the slouched body shielding her, crying to her mistake and crying to him. 

She shook him slightly, wanting him to respond to her. Her voiced strangled as he heard him speak in whisper to her. 

"Faye, I'm so sorry... I'm so so sorry..." 

Her hands automatically grappled carefully around his bloody back, "Marcus.." 

"It was my fault, Faye. I thought the Syndicate could help me with finding you, but I know now that it was a mistake.... I'm so sorry.." 

Angrily but timidly, she shook him, "Shut up! Stop saying sorry!" 

She could feel one of his hands slowly rise to her shoulder, "I promised you that I'd fix everything... I want you to have everything... J-just take my bag..." 

"I don't want your stupid bag!" Faye sobbed louder as she pulled a hand from his back to hold onto the one on her shoulder, "Marcus, just stay okay? We'll get you help, I promise." 

"Swear to me that you'd take whatever it is in my bag, Faye... Swear to me that you'll have everything you need.. Swear to me you will be happy again." 

Faye tightened her hold on him as he began to slip slightly to the floor. She gave distraught breath, "Please don't leave me.." 

From behind her, Marcus placed a smile on his ghastly white face, "We died once, remember? And I never did leave you..." 

She felt his body relax in a rush, and in an instant she clung to him, straining her voice with the sobs of his name. 

Behind them, listening intently but turned away from the scene, Spike stood with shared sympathy, and guilt of feeling jealousy. A new hate developed in his mind: He hated her for losing the man named Marcus. It was a thought purely selfish and overall blunt, yet it didn't mean the same to him like it sounded. He finally heard the subsiding cries from the grieving woman, and slightly turned towards the scene. Faye had stood up and had laid the body of the young man on the floor in front of her. To him, she seemed lost and hopeless for some time, until she turned to him with eyes that spewed some sort of burning rage. 

Her body shook slightly as she breathed in to speak, "Call.. the hospital and tell them.. tell them there's a body around Aurora Avenue." 

Spike stared at her hard, "And you? What of your back?" 

Faye raked a hand in her damp hair from the light rain, and slowly began to walk behind the wall where two backpacks laid, "Jet can fix it up when we get back." she stressed to lean forward and pick the bags up, and before she could make the mistake to do so for her back sent shooting signals up her spine, Spike casually took them in his hands for her. 

"Thanks," she offered as they walked along side each other in the dark night in silence. Never looking back to the wreckage behind, or bringing up any words of the past five minutes ago. Just appreciating that the other one still exists.   
  
  


**~review pleaze~**   


**On the next chapter:**   
************************************

**Jet**: That was kind of stupid... you introduce a new character and kill him off before he even finishes featuring his first chapter. 

**Strife21**: >.> Think irony here! I want this to be mostly irony until the end. 

**Jet**: It's an irony that this story is getting worst and worst O]o 

**Strife21**: What?! 

**Jet**: Yeah, i mean it was all cool in the beginning.. and now.. Even the Previews are getting dull. 

**Strife21**: That's because I made a mistake of placing you in here ~.~ 

**Jet**: Shut up.. I make a great atmosphere in here by telling the readers how this story started out all cool and practical, and now it's just plain depressing and kind of lacking. 

**Strife21**:....it's not lacking! ;_; 

**Jet**: yep.. 

**Strife21**: No it's not! 

**Jet**: It is so lacking that.... --------- .......... [see you can't even give me a good come back] 

**Strife21**: I decided not to.. you're hurting my feelings.. 

**Jet**: Okay.. it seems as if we are now breaking the fourth wall.. You know you are typing these words right now. 

**Strife21**: Yeah... and they hurt. 

**Jet**: So... O]o stop typing, you idiot! 

**Strife21**: Stop making fun of me! 

**Jet:** What the f*ck?! You want me to stop, then just stop typing pessimistic views of yourself, all right?! 

**Strife21**: ^-^ I'm trying to make it funny by breaking the fourth wall. Watch, I'll make you say something cool about me. 

**Jet**: You are so awesome, Strife! [Dammit..] 

**Strife21**: *mocks Jet* " I am bald, but I am awesome. But not as awesome as you!" 

**Jet**: I am bald, but I am awesome. But not as awesome as you! ( x]x) 

**Strife21**: Ha.. the irony~ If what you said about you being here makes things cool is true, then really it meant that me bringing you here and making you say those things you say, is actually pointing to me that's making it cool here. Hehe... I win! 

**Jet**: But at the same time, whatever I say against you and this story is true too mwaha! 

**Strife21**: ....shut up... I'm ending this now, it's getting confusing.. Anyways, next chapter is **Blues of the Sinned: Beginning of the End**. Part one of two! See you next time.   


**~laterz, cowboy....~**


	14. The Blues of the Sinned: Beginning of t...

  
**The Blues of the Sinned: Beginning of the End**   


_--"There is a time in every man's education when he arrives at the conviction that envy is ignorance;_   
_ that imitation is suicide; that he must take himself for the better or for worse as his portion;_   
_ that though the wise universe is full of good, no kernel of nourishing corn can come to him but through_   
_ his toil bestowed on that plot of ground which is given him to till._   
_ The power which resides in him is a new in nature, and none but he knows what that is which he can do,_   
_ nor does he know until he has tried"_   
_ -_Excerpt from "Self-Reliance": Ralph Walter Emerson--   


||   


She sat still, and quiet, as Jet faced her back to tend the inflicted holes that carried the small piercing metal. Jet bickered on, and pulled and stitched on her, while she eyed the cold metal floor in a daze; a shirt in her hands to cover her bare chest 

"The Bebop isn't a safe haven for you to walk in and out of when you're in trouble. You can't just leave and come back every time you like," he spoke like a father to her, harsh and cold, and yet at the same time, it was if he was just lecturing her to be more careful. 

"I know, Jet, I'm sorry," she responded hesitantly and softly; her eyes downcast still. 

It was a serene but stressful job as Jet pulled two bullets from her back, both laid red tainted on a small tin cup. Spike had left to the Bebop cockpit to start her up for Venus, and Ed sat a distance away in silent content that the other female boarder was back; and was clacking away in her computer for the bounties Jet requested early that day. 

"It's just like you, to leave and then come back because of trouble," Jet carefully tightened the last stitch close and began to wash away the blood residue so he could patch them up, "What the hell are you thinking; pulling a move like this?" 

For a short time, Faye didn't answer the older man's question. It wasn't until new realization struck her, and she agreed with it. 

"I'm just... stupid, Jet. Ignorant, psychotic, selfish, greedy... stupid." 

Jet shook his head behind her, his mind flooding with guilt from his recent words. He found the confession of the woman to be too harsh even for self criticism. Jet understood that Faye obviously came back because she couldn't find anything from her past to claim as her own, as far as he knew. And that making her believe that her as a person, is nothing but a being full of stupidity; it wasn't going to help her any. 

"I ain't saying you're stupid, Faye," Jet sighed and paused to patch the first stitched hole with a clean medical cloth, and waited for some kind of reaction from Faye. He received a scoff from her before continuing on with his job and his speaking, "You know, nothing's been the same since you left. I'm not just saying this to amuse you, or comfort you, or anything.. just that you know.." 

Faye moved her head slightly to the side as the air-lock doors hissed open, revealing a bleak Spike stepping in. The room seemed to grow quieter as tension from the minds of the three adults in the room rose in wonder if words should be said. 

Moving down the small steps, Spike took a seat next to Jet on the long couch, behind the wounded Faye who sat facing front on the center table. Noticing the small bowl where two shells were contained in, he broke the tensing silence, "That's all of them, Jet? You sure there isn't anymore?" 

"There isn't anymore," Faye replied quickly, annoyance hovering all around her for some random reason even she couldn't say what, "I only caught two... I didn't feel anymore than that." 

Spike's eyes flew to her figure; intense in curiosity to her sudden attitude. 

Sensing another quarrel, Jet sighed and finished placing the medical cloth over Faye's wounds before he stood up and took a good look at the scene unfolding in front of him, "Uh.. looks like you two need to talk something out, here.." he turned to Ed who sat a ways away, "Ed, you better come along with me." 

The young girl happily proceeded to stand up and follow Jet out of the room, passing Faye with a bouncy 'good-bye', while Faye briefly smiled to her as she left. 

|| 

As the two remained in the room, Spike leaned back on his seat as his eyes stayed glued to Faye's figure. He was alone with her now, a situation he told himself he would be glad to have, and yet he was furious with Jet's sudden retreat out of the room and leaving him and her in a hanging suspension caused only by his or her silence. He watched for a while, as Faye had her back at him and placing on her shirt; and turned a little peeved with her quietness. 

He was curious to know what had happened to her for the past 24 hours, and he felt that he didn't need to have to ask for his answers. But obviously, he had to strike her with something to make her say anything. He didn't want to ask it, or maybe he was just afraid to, but her insolent behavior was enough to make him ask. 

"Who was Marcus, Faye?" 

Spike expected it, but oddly she didn't freeze in her spot. Nonchalantly, Faye remained seated, fixing her shirt front, and in a calm voice she answered. 

"He was a friend." 

"He had to be more than that," he urged on, not satisfied with her simple answer. 

By this time, Faye had rested her hands on the edge of the table and had gripped them slightly. She wasn't particularly liking Spike's tone, neither was she comfortable with his questions, "What else do you think he had to be?" she stood up, slowly as to not irritate her healing wound, and turned face the man sitting on the couch behind her, "Who do you want me to say he was?" 

Standing up also, trying to match the challenging look he was receiving from Faye, Spike looked over her and saw that she containing pain within her eyes. He had crossed past the line of common sense already, and yet he thought that he had the right to question since he had worried for her, "He wasn't just a friend to you, Faye, it had to be something more than that," he wasn't aware that his voice was becoming loud and demanding. 

Feeling like she was trying to be violated in her mind, Faye masked her urge to break in tears at the truth of what relationship she held with Marcus, but she felt her walls deteriorating as Spike continued. 

"Come on, Faye, he wasn't just a friend was he? Not when he goes to jump in front of you, and sacrifices his own life for yours," he watched her lower her head in a guilty fashion but still kept silent. He could feel her trying to act out an ignorance to his repeated question, and it only flared his feelings of betrayal, "Faye, answer me dammit! Just-just tell me who he was! Was he your boyfriend?" 

Opening her eyes and lifting them to him in a sense of desperation, she angrily freed her tears and answered him as harshly as she could handle, "He was more than that. He was my fiancee in the past!... in the past!" her words made a scene flash in her mind, and it was when she held Marcus' dead body on the street, "The only person I found from my time. He died with me that day on the shuttle ride to space, and he went with me when I was cryogenically frozen. And then, he spent all this time, as soon as he woke up from cryro-sleep, trying to find me and get me to him.." 

Spike watched the woman revive her grief once more, and he was ashamed to have it even brought up. He felt satisfied to know his deserved answer, and yet his other mind felt that he should have approached it more differently. And now, in sympathy that meant more than pity, he watched the woman turn to the side, tears endlessly brought up from her misery, and express her aching in a way that he had never seen before. 

"It's my fault.. I killed him," Faye echoed her deep thoughts in a strained voice, trying to surpass the clogging in her throat, "I killed the only person I knew who would love me no matter what. I killed him... and he was this perfect man." 

He was sure it was the most 'manliest' thing he has ever done in a while, but softly he commented to her, making sure she was aware that he was still there and that he still cared. 

"Faye, you didn't kill him. He chose to do what he did for a reason, and that's to keep you alive," gently he moved to her from the side, trying to face her hidden face. He eyed her with calm passion, a little nervous to his confession, as Faye passed him a sideways glance, "And.. you're wrong Faye. He couldn't be the only one to.. love you." 

Amused, Faye threw him an unbelieving scoff and shook her head, "See, that's where you're wrong. In these days, sex and beauty are the highest priorities in a relationship. No man between the levels of mediocre and sophistication in this universal society would just love to be with someone because they do; they've got to have more," Faye turned to him to meet his eyes suddenly, "And if, by what you said, you are intending to mean that 'other' could be you, then I'd tell you to stop lying to yourself." 

In truth, what Faye had said to him hurt, and it threw him off to feel somewhat deceived. Still, he felt that he shouldn't blow up on her about it, instead he was going to try to find out why she thought so pessimistically, "What are you afraid of, Faye, that you'd throw me off into liking you by saying that?" 

Faye gave a laugh that was mildly insane, and she eyed Spike back with a 'you are hopeless' expression, "Everything, I suppose. Why wouldn't I be afraid, Spike? Is it that easy?" 

"Why don't you just tell me what you're trying to say so I could figure out what you're bitching about?" his calmness about the situation was fading fast as his frustration with Faye was rising to its peak. 

Slitting her eyes at Spike, Faye let out an angry breath before speaking, "I'm saying, I don't need this bullshit when somewhere, out there," she made a gesture towards the hanger doors, "and somewhere in you, there's a name that sits before mine!" 

Spike gazed back at her eyes, troubled and trapped. He hadn't expected Faye to talk, or even worry about Julia, and yet she confessed to be afraid of his past relationship with her. He had to admit, Faye did have the right to question his trust, but Spike knew this feeling he had with Faye was so much more. And he wished he knew how to say it in the most trusting and convincing way to her. 

"Don't expect me to take this easily, and just accept whatever offer you're trying to give me because I know in the end that I'll just end up alone and miserable," Faye continued. 

"Faye.." Spike shook his head and stepped closer to her only to have her react by stepping back. 

In a more soft voice, Faye threatened him, "Don't... don't you play with me, Spike. In your eyes, I may be some self conceited woman who doesn't do anything but waste the Bebop's resources, but I don't lack in feelings. I know where the hell this is going, and I swear if you talk shit to me--" 

He thought of it as the second 'manliest' thing he had done to her as he quickly moved forward and pressed his lips against hers. He knew the aftermath of his action would be a lot of punching and kicking, and maybe even some pinching But surprisingly after Faye tensed against him as he kissed her, he could feel her slowly ease; one of her hands gently creeping on his side to rest there. 

Daringly, he moved in closer to her, resting a hand just under her jaw and on her neck, and the other one set on her waist. And in a more sudden audacious position he gently pushed his tongue against her salty lips, and unexpectedly she slightly parted her mouth, her own tongue shyly reacting to his. 

The moment was bliss to his hearing, and everything wrong and despair that had been felt seemed to disappear into the atmosphere between them. It was like that close moment in the French Clothes shop all over again, except this time he had kissed her. He felt suddenly licentious, wanting and hungry to be in love, and to be loved once again. 

But the moment vanished slowly as his lips tasted more tears, and his mind wondered why. In a hesitant delay, he pulled away to meet face to face with Faye who winced, tears brimming her eyes and falling endlessly down her cheeks. He swallowed hard as he faced her; nervous and anxious at the same time. 

"Don't.." Faye whispered, blinking furiously to shake her tears, "Don't do that unless you mean it.. I'm serious.. please," in a hopeless attempt, she tried to move away from his arms, but Spike kept still and locked to her, shushing her to calm down. 

"Faye, just look at me," he whispered back, catching her eyes once more, "If I never meant it, then I wouldn't have done it," he stated slowly to her, looking into her eyes to make sure she understood him, "Just trust me, Faye. I know about the all the bullshit you've gone through, and I know you're worried about me.. and Julia," Spike paused with a long sigh, "I haven't worked on that part yet--but please, Faye, trust me!" 

Silence blessed them once again before Faye carefully freed herself from his arms, moving near the long couch to pick up a small tan bag that laid there since her stitching, and went to go to her room to think. 

He watched her walk without a word, feeling something in himself sink into a mixture of guilt and want. 

"Faye..?" 

As she stepped into the dark corridor to the rooms, Faye froze in her spot to acknowledge the man still standing in his position. Gripping the bag against her stomach in a protective manner, she spoke to him honestly about what she felt, and told him that the recent dilemma has yet to disappear. 

"I.. I trust you, Spike, I really do. I think the question is: Do you trust yourself? Trust yourself as far as making the decision to forget her so you could be with me?" Faye shook her head to him, still intent to not look at him, "Don't get me wrong.. the day you told me that you might be attracted to me, I won't lie by saying that I didn't also feel the same way towards you." 

"Then why did you push me away all those times?" Spike didn't understand it. At some sense, he did, for example: Faye's worries about Julia and him. That would be one pinnacle to her reasons, but he couldn't understand why, if she felt the same way all this time, that she would give up on his trying so quickly. 

"I felt like.. I was just table scrap, you know? Last resort; second place; a replacement; even a temporary container to hold your precious feelings for Julia until she came back to you. And feeling like I'm just 'loved for the lay'... I know I'm more than that, even if I liked the attention, and I deserve something that I don't have to risk my emotional sanity to," Faye continued to walk down the hall, to disappear in her small bedroom compartment, but before she disappeared in Spike's line of view, she softly finished her confession, "But.. I'm willing to trust you, Spike.." 

Standing in the same position for the past ten minutes, Spike was left with burden over his shoulders, and a great deal of frustration had just started to eat him up inside. And just when things were becoming more tense and difficult, Ed came back the room, waving her 'Tomato' in the air excitedly to a message for Spike. 

"Meh-ssage! Meh-ssage! Spike-person's got a message from 'Lady-Julia'!"   


||   


_/I'll always wait for you/_

_/Meet me/_

_/And I'll wait/_   


The coldness of Venus' pavements and the odd raining weather that is fakely produced, gave him a feeling of acute disturbances. So much things had dragged to the ground that day, and this, a letter of recognition now added to his troubled misery, and the possibilities of what's to come after this 'reaquaintance' was varying in product. 

He didn't even tell Faye that he left to meet her; to meet Julia. 

Why was he even doing this? Why was he tormenting himself more by meeting his old flame? What if Julia sparks back in his interests, then what? He would have lied to Faye, and ruined her. He would break the trust he swore to her. He would break her completely. 

But Spike had an entirely different mission by meeting up with Julia. His goal is planned to be strongly controlled and handled, and he readied his mental quickness when certain situations may come across. 

Coming to a place where he once stood waiting long ago, Spike pushed the small iron gates which was the entrance, and came in with deep breaths as a figure stood gazing back at him a few feet away. He continued to step closer until finally he could recognize the long golden tresses, the beautiful face, and those intense eyes she carried just for him. 

"Julia." 

The woman gave a small smile and a brief chuckle, "Spike." 

There was a momentous pause before Julia unexpectedly advanced to him for a hug. Spike stood rigid, and he became steady soon enough as he placed his arms around her.   


||   


She had heard it; the squealing of Ed and her delivery to Spike. 

And Spike's footsteps walking away, not following her but whatever the message had said. 

It had both hurt and confused her; and as she hid herself in her dark room, she mourned over her stupid feelings, and letting out the frustrated anger against Spike. After a couple of hours, Faye stopped her grieving to clear her mind. There was some revelations of her dilemma that made her grow tired. Tired of having to hide her real face and emotions from the world. She was tired of playing second; staying second; and never be able to make herself as first. She was tired of letting her burdens of the past control her. 

Faye wanted to change everything; she wanted to change herself. Not because she felt she needed to, or she felt it was the right thing to do; she was just tired. 

As she laid on her bed facing her metal wall, she wrapped her arms around her protectively, feeling suddenly uncomfortable being in her own room and in the Bebop. This place was not her and she wanted to leave. But then again she didn't because this place carried something she needed and craved. 

The world was now spinning fast for Faye Valentine; the walls around her crumbling, and the air around her stenched with sourness. She ran thoughts and questions in her mind as to why she was feeling this way; and sickness began closing in. Her world has fallen and nothing was right. 

In a sense, this confusion of hers was a way to grow her independence. Though she feared more of what's to come, Faye spawned a new attitude in things; claiming her world as her own, and restricted other people's power over her. 

Faye was going to do what she wanted, when she wanted. No one would be able to tell her otherwise. 

And in the night, just before dusk, she will leave and disappear from everyone. She will change everything about herself to start anew. Faye binded this plan in her heart with stone that no one can break. 

Not even Spike.   


||   


He sat there, strumming his fingers atop his right knee; seemingly comfortable and proud. Spike kept his view outside the car door window on his side, tranced by the other passing vehicles, but at the same time he was fixated with the past few events that had occurred between Julia and him. 

Soon after their hellos were said in the small cemetery, the two of them had headed to a cafe where businesses were discussed, but not before changes were confessed. He didn't expect their talk of separating to go so smooth; to that he smiled. 

And yet, in the small of his mind, he silently questioned Julia's true feelings of the situation. He would glance over to her as she drove, and occasionally she would glance back with a solemn smile that used to glow so holy when he loved her. Still, things after the cafe became awkward. 

As Julia drove him towards the dock where the Bebop sat rocking with the waves of Venus' sea, Spike waited for the black car's halt before stepping out into the air. He hesitated to talk as he watched Julia step out of her own door, looking at him in kindness. 

"Well, Spike, I'm glad I asked to meet you today, and I'm glad you came," she began; walking slowly to his side. 

Spike nodded to her, shoving his hands deep in his pockets as if he was in desperate need of a smoke to fix his sudden uneasiness. As Julia came forward to him, her sad but fair eyes piercing him in the darkening skies, Spike cleared his throat to her, looking guilty of any hurt he had given her. 

"I"m sorry, Julia." 

Julia smiled again, taken by the apology that she found undeserved. She shook her head at him and laid a caring hand on his shoulder, "No, Spike, I'm sorry." 

No other explanation was needed to add to it for Spike to understand, and as he silently watched her figure move towards her car; stepping in and starting the engine once more; he waved to her, "Thank you, Julia." 

She smirked at him, accepting his thanks, "Remember, before morning." And with that, she was gone.   


||   


Confidence was his best friend; and the leash that choked him during this whole event was now unshackled and gone. He had nothing to worry about; he was getting to do what he wanted. 

He stood in front of her door, unsure if he should force himself in or knock. He figured knocking would lead to nothing for surely Faye already knew where he had been, and would not be willing to invite him in. So there was nothing else for him to do but to go in without permission; this couldn't wait another day. 

Calmly pressing the button to slide the door slowly open, he stepped in the dark room carefully; eyes kept at the silent figure that laid on the bed in front of him; her back against the door. Nothing was going to break him; not even Faye's quietness towards his break-in was going to bring him down. 

He was too proud. 

With ease, Spike walked towards her bed side, and laid on his side on the empty space behind her. He felt her shift, trying to move closer to the wall in front of her, either trying to give him more room or moving away from him. For some reason, her stingy moves weren't a bother; and moving a hand to her stomach, he gently pushed her to her back; and found it suprisingly easy as she turned around to face him. 

She looked angry and a little afraid, but nonetheless he smiled to her. She moved her hands to his shoulders, vainly trying to push him away, but catching a hold of them in his own, he pressed his cheek on hers as he whispered to her. 

"Faye, I went to meet Julia today," he could feel her hands twitch to his words, and rushed in his words so that he could avoid a possible misunderstanding, "She asked me to help her; help her fight against the Syndicate. And I said yes." 

At this point, Faye had grappled him hard on the shoulders, pushing harder than before. He could feel her twisting underneath him, trying to free herself. Quickly he maintained his hold on her, bringing his face in front of her distant and hurt expression. He moved a hand to her right cheek, "Listen, Faye, I told her I'd help her but I said--" 

She paused in her attempts to look at him in expectance. 

"I told her, I had to come back here afterwards. I told her there was someone waiting for me here; and I told her I was waiting for that someone also." 

He smiled to himself as it struck him that he had become some sort of hopeless-romantic-sap; and yet it was all worth it as Faye gazed at him, enlightened by the news. She was still quiet, but he could tell she was grateful and happy by looking at her eyes. 

For agonizing moments, he had to stay in his position to wait for her response; and it soon came, quiet and blissful. There was no words; there didn't need to be; only actions of pure love for a soul that play out the significance of love. For the whole night, love was being shared one way or another; kisses and hugs, and even in the less platonic ways. Both pained and tired souls seemed to have finally found rest in each other's lips and arms; nothing could ruin their moment. And yet, who could foretell the near future between them? 

The answer laid in Faye's heart, for her arrangements at dusk were still in consideration... 

And the stone was still intact.   
  


**~review pleaze~**   


**On the next chapter:**   
************************************   
***Face Wars* !!STRIFE21 VS. JULIA!!**

**Strife21: **It's you! O_O! 

**Julia:** Gah! O.O! 

**Strife21:** >o Bring it on! 

-*ding ding* Round 1: 

**Julia: ** >.> ...... 

**Strife21:** _ ...... 

**-Tie! *ding ding* Round 2:**

**Julia:** ~.~..... 

**Strife21:** ~_~ ..... 

**-Tie! *ding ding* Round 3:**

**Julia:** ~`.~ ...grrrr... 

**Strife21:** ~`_~ ...rahr.... 

**-Tie! *ding ding* Final Round:**

**Julia:** (\ (\   
( > . >) *heehee, bunny* 

**Strife21: ** n n   
( * ; * ) *heehee, squirrel*****

**-Tie! *ding ding* Another Final Round Because All These Ties Don't Help:**

**Julia:** >o You will perish by my hands!! 

**Strife21:** >o You will perish by my next chapter called **"Blues of the Sinned: End of the Fat Guy"** by means of hardcore gun fighting, and bombs-a-explodin'!! 

**Julia:** x.x; No, you evil bitch!! 

**-*ding ding* Strife21 WINS!**

**Strife21: ** *hopping up and down with her arms in the air* Adrian! Adrian! =note: This mocked scene is from the movie Rocky (I forgot the number) and is performed by Sylvester Stallone; so it's not mine= 

**Julia: ** Rematch, dammit! I don't want to die again! ;_; 

**Strife21: ** It wouldn't matter if you won; you'd have to still die because.. *in an eerie voice* you must die~ 

**Julia: ** @.@ ........ 

**Strife21:** MAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA~~ MAHAHAHAH-*cough, choke, cough*-AHA~   
  


**~laterz, cowboy....~******

**Very Long and Important Paragraph:******

Hey, hey! Ahh.. well, a little bit delayed in the chapter uploading plan, but I feel this chapter is complete and has all the main points I intended to write. I wanted to say to the person who asked about Julia's appearance, that yes, from reading this chapter, she would have to still be in this story. Even though I dislike Julia, this fanfiction is only an alteration (even more than an alteration) from the real sessions; and everyone knows that Julia is considered a needed character towards the end of the Cowboy Bebop series. 

I also wanted to say to the reviewer who wrote an uplifting paragraph that it's not really the reviews the motivates me to write (although they help greatly). As you can see, this story has surpassed a year. My chapter uploading determines in my skill for that chapter. Sometimes I find it hard to think up the chapter's plot, and that is what kills most of my early plans to upload sooner. 

I bet you're wondering why this A/N is so long and quoted '**Important**', but I would like to thank everyone who has read, reviewed, and kept me inspired to get this far in this fanfiction. This was my first Cowboy Bebop fanfiction, and at first I was so nervous to have it placed for the public. But ever since I caught attention of readers, I've felt very relieved and comfortable; and this, personally, uplifts my self-esteem each and every day. I would like to thank you for that also. And as we move along to the last chapter, I hope to not disappoint you with it, and I also promise you in the near future that I won't. 

Now is about the time I ruin the heartfelt moment that I have created, and repeat myself with my thanks. Love you all; I'll finish the next chapter soon. 

PS: (Yeah, I know.. It's WAY too long :P) I apologize for ruining the happy/sad/ironic moment by doing that preview with FACE WARS!!!!--- lol. I tend to break things like that ^_^; Anyways, have a good one! 


End file.
